Draft Programme of Work - Conference of Ministers

Monday, 31 st March
09:30 – 11:00

Session I: Opening of the Conference and Presidential Reflections

•  Chairmen's remarks

•  Welcome remarks by Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa

•  Statement by Mr. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank

•  Statement by Mr. Alpha Oumar Konaré, Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union

•  Statement by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations

•  Opening of the Conference and Overview of the theme – Africa's New Challenges in the 21 st Century – by H.E. Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State Implementation Committee and the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government

•  Address on Governance and the Capable State by H.E. Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania , and Chairperson of the African Union

11:00 – 11:15Coffee/Tea Break
11:15 – 11:30

Election of the Bureau

11:30 – 13:30

Session II: High-level thematic debate

•  Empowering the Poor by H.E. Mr. Benjamin Mkapa, Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania

•  Growth, Employment and Poverty by Professor Adebayo Adedeji, Chairman of the APRM Panel of Eminent Persons

13:30 – 15:00Lunch Break
15:00 – 16:30

Session II (Continued: High-level thematic debate

  • Climate Change and Development by Dr. Rajendra K Pachauri , Nobel Peace Laureate and Director-General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
16:30 – 16:45Coffee/Tea Break
16:45 – 18:00

Session II (Continued) High-level thematic debate

  • HIV/AIDS: Keeping the Promise by Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
18:00 – 20:00Reception
Tuesday, 1 st April
09:30 – 09:45Adoption of the draft agenda and programme of work
09:45 – 11:00

Session III: Ministerial policy debate on the theme: Meeting Africa's New Challenges in the 21 st Century

  • Introductory statement by Mr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba, Commissioner for Economic Affairs, African Union Commission (AUC)

  • Discussions

11:00 – 11:30Coffee/Tea Break
11:30 – 13:00

Session III (Continued): Ministerial policy debate on the theme: Meeting Africa's New Challenges in the 21 st Century

  • Discussions (cont'd)
13:00 – 14:30Lunch Break
14:30 – 16:00Session III (Continued): Ministerial policy debate on the theme: Meeting Africa's New Challenges in the 21 st Century
16:00 – 16:15Coffee/Tea Break
16:15 – 18:00

Session IV: Ministerial panel discussion on topical social and economic issues:

  • Impact of recent rise in oil and food prices on Africa's economies by selected Ministers and Mrs Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

  • Africa's debt situation

Wednesday, 2nd April
09:00 – 10:00Session V: Regional review of Financing for Development
10:00 – 11:00Session VI: Regional review of the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review (AMR)
11:00 – 11:15Coffee/Tea Break
11:15 - 12:45Session VII: Consideration of the report and major recommendations of the meeting of the Committee of Experts of the Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
12:45 – 13:15Any other business
13:15 – 15:00Lunch Break
15:00 – 16:30Side events (Events to be determined)
16:30 – 18:00Session VIII: Consideration and adoption of the draft Ministerial Declaration and draft resolutions

Closing of the Conference

  • Remarks by Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

  • Remarks by Mr. Maxwell Mkwezalamba, Commissioner for Economic Affairs of the AUC

  • Wrap-up by the Chairperson of the Conference