28 March 2023
High rates of growth in the past two decades have resulted in reduced poverty levels in Africa, with the share of the population living in extreme poverty decreasing from 55 to 35 per cent between 2000 and 2019. Nonetheless, a staggering 546 million people still live in extreme poverty in 2022. Alarmingly, global shocks are turning millions of vulnerable people into the continent¡¯s new poor, reversing decades of progress. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed an additional 55 million Africans below the poverty line, and the impact of the war in Ukraine is expected to further compound the challenge. To review the state of economic and social development in Africa as well as progress on regional integration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) held the 55th Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (CoM2023) on March 15-21, 2023, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The aim of the Conference was to renew focus and action on reducing poverty, inequality and other factors that leave the African population continuously vulnerable to these scourges, discussing recovery efforts that are pro-poor and inclusive, with a view to fostering a new social contract that offers equal opportunity for all. In his opening statement, the ECA Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Antonio Pedro, stated the necessity of ensuring the necessary investments in sustainably building up of capital in critical assets ¨C including human, infrastructure, and natural ¨C to provide the needed environment to achieve the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.
The event gathered high-level political representatives, including African Ministers of Finance, Planning & Economic Development, IGOs, NGOs civil societies and private sectors technical community groups, with approximately 1,200 participants. ECA SSS coordinated and planned the security of CoM2023 in close collaboration with the hotel security team and host government security agencies, which resulted in a safe and secure event, without any security incidents.
The SSS team, led by the SSS Chief and Security Event Coordinator, Mr. Ricardo Freitas da Silva, worked on full duty to be able to cover the event security ¡°The Security and Safety Services was a fundamental key to enabling the Conference. Delegations and UN staff members felt the discreet and effective presence of officers who demonstrated professionalism, client orientation and strong teamwork skills,¡± he said.
UNECA Conference Centre is under renovation, so no major events are expected in the following months. The next annual CoM coordinated by ECA will be held outside Ethiopia in 2024.