Rabat, 5 October 2017 (ECA) - The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe held bilateral meetings with Moroccan officials on the sidelines of the 32nd Intergovernmental Committee of Experts organized by the ECA Office in North Africa holding on the theme, "Youth Employment and Sustainable Development” in Rabat, Morocco this week.
The meetings discussed issues of mutual cooperation and exchanged views on how industrialization, improving the business climate and regional integration through the Continental Free Trade Area can contribute to creating jobs for women and young people. There was acknowledgment of the role such shifts could enable the youth to become a driving force for accelerated growth.
Underscoring the critical importance of quality statistical data for the development of policies and strategies for Africa’s economy, Ms. Songwe and her interlocutors exchanged views on the ongoing preparations for Continental Joint Meeting on Statistics and Development, to be held in Morocco in 2019, in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Planning.
Ms. Songwe, who took up her post as Executive Secretary of ECA on 3 August 2017 was accompanied by Ms. Lilia Hachem Naas, who took over as Director of the ECA Office in North Africa on 2 October 2017.
Among the officials the Executive Secretary met with include: Nacer Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Minister of Industry, Investment, Trade and the Digital Economy, and Ahmed Lahlimi, High Commissioner for Planning. She also met with Mohamed Yatim, Minister of Employment and Professional Integration and Taïeb Baccouche, Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union.
Note to Editors
The Economic Commission for Africa (www.uneca.org) is one of five regional commissions of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Its Office in North Africa is responsible for supporting the development of the seven countries of the subregion (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia and Sudan) by helping them to formulate and implement policies and programs to contribute to their economic and social transformation.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org