The Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Claver Gatete, has called for coordinated and transformative action to advance Africa’s development goals.
Gatete made the call in his opening address at the 12th Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12) in Addis Ababa monitired virtually.
He said the continent must accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
According to him, Africa faces slowing global growth, rising inequalities, climate shocks and mounting fiscal pressures.
He said that geopolitical tensions were also affecting global stability and development prospects.
Gatete said these challenges should not limit ambition but inspire innovation and stronger commitment to solutions.
He commended Ethiopia for hosting the forum and its leadership in advancing climate action.
Gatete said that Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative had resulted in the planting of billions of trees.
He said that the country had made significant progress in renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture.
The ECA executive secretary said climate change was already affecting food security, water availability and infrastructure across Africa.
He said that climate action and sustainable development must be pursued together while urging African countries to move from sector-based planning to integrated systems approaches.
Gatete further reiterated the need to shift from policy discussions to large-scale implemrntation, saying that foundational services such as water, energy and infrastructure must be treated as economic assets.
He called for increased financing, including private sector investment, to close Africa’s infrastructure gap and highlighted the importance of urbanisation, saying cities must be leveraged for jobs and productivity.
The ECA boss called for alignment of digital and green transitions to drive sustainable growth, adding that strong institutions, data and regional cooperation were key to delivering results.
He said Africa’s main challenge was not lack of frameworks but implementation at scale.
Gatete then reaffirmed the commitment of the commission to support member states with policy advice and partnerships.
He urged stakeholders to use the forum to move from “diagnosis to delivery” in achieving development goals.
By Lucy Ogalue