The Joint Secretariat of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM-Africa) and the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) will be holding an adhoc expert group meeting to deliberate on the draft study report on Strengthening Subregional Coordination in support of the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development in Nairobi, Kenya from 3 to 4 November 2018. 

The objective of the study on strengthening subregional coordination is to investigate how the Subregional Coordination Mechanisms (SRCMs) could be improved to ensure efficient and effective support to Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) taking into account the issues and challenges presently faced by the mechanisms and emerging ones.  The intent is to leverage the momentum in the ongoing African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) reforms for a more coordinated and fit-for-purpose support at the subregional level, and at the same time ensure effective linkages with national and regional level UN coordination mechanisms.  While the focus of the study is on strengthening the SRCMs in Africa, it is expected to contribute to the reflections on reinforcing synergies between country, subregional and regional level actions and other cost-efficiency and rationalization measures in the context of the AU and UN reforms. 

The meeting will be held back-to-back the EGM on Enhancing M&E in RCM- Africa, which will be held on 5 and 6 December, 2018. The meetings will provide platforms for participants to deliberate on the draft study reports with a view to identifying gaps, providing comments and inputs and proposing recommendations to inform their finalization. The meetings will also provide platforms for experts and policy makers from African regional and subregional organizations, UN system agencies and organizations, to engage in meaningful deliberations on strengthening the functioning of RCM- Africa and the SRCMs in the context of the AU and UN reforms. The final study reports and outcomes of the meetings will collectively feed into the 20^th Session of RCM-Africa to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 23 and 24 March, 2019. 

For more information please contact Ms. Zewditu Befekadu, E-mail: befekaduz@un.org;  Ms. Nozipho Freya Simelane, E-mail: simelane@un.org; or Mr. Moctar Diouf, Email: diouf15@un.org. Meeting documents can be accessed using the links below:

Documents

1.  Concept Note

2.  Provisional Programme of Work

3.  Draft Document on Strengthening Subregional Mechanisms

4.  Terms of Reference