Addis Ababa, 25 November 2016 (ECA) - The Deputy Executive Secretary for Knowledge Delivery, Ms. Giovannie Biha received Mr. Jaime Chomali, Permanent Representative of Chile to the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa at a courtesy call paid by the Ambassador on 24 November.
During their meeting, discussions centred on wide-ranging issues of mutual interest to the ECA and the Government of Chile, underpinned by areas of possible partnership.
Ms. Biha indicated that the ECA provides technical support to the AU, with the Continental Free Trade Area negotiations as an example of collaboration with experts from the African Union Commission. She also highlighted ongoing collaboration between ECA, NEPAD and the African Development Bank.
Ambassador Chomali lauded ECA’s work and knowledge products. He also offered his view of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – ECLAC, which he noted has visibility in the Latin American region and exerts influence in the economies of the region.
Ms. Biha noted that the ECA is considered by governments as an institution that provides an alternative vision from the Bretton Woods institutions. ECA, she said, tries to counterbalance a vision that pushed African countries into the “lost decades” and encourages them to reassess their development policies and to reindustrialize. She shared ECA’s work and studies on issues, such as regional integration and industrialization.
Ambassador Chomali highlighted Chile’s expertise in the area of free trade and expressed the readiness of his government to provide support in this regard. He proposed the possibility of working with the ECA to coordinate technical missions to Latin American countries as his Embassy would be in a position to assist in identifying the appropriate counterparts in relevant line ministries.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org