afrol News, 18 March - African states ministers of economy and finance will exchange views on how to decrease unemployment in the continent during their 3rd Joint Annual Meetings of the African Union (AU) Conference; and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which will take place in Lilongwe, Malawi from 29-30 March 2010.

The theme of this years meeting is: Promoting high-level sustainable growth to reduce unemployment in Africa.

The Conference will be formally opened by the President of Malawi, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, on Monday 29 March.

Also expected to deliver opening statements will be Dr. Youssef Boutros-Ghali, Minister of Finance of Egypt and Chairperson of the outgoing Bureau of the Conference, Cheick Sidi Diarra, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank Group, Abdoulie Janneh, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa and Jean Ping, Chairperson, African Union Commission.

The meeting will be preceded by a committee of experts meeting, taking place from 25-28 March, whose report will be presented for ministerial consideration.

This year’s theme is once again, very important and timely, the conference organisers have said, further adding that despite commendable performance in economic growth by many African countries in recent years, poverty remains stubbornly high.

The Ministers will therefore be expected to adopt a clear strategy for employment generation as an important channel for reducing poverty. Ministers and experts will also examine the renewed calls for developmental states in Africa; that have the vision for setting long-term economic and development goals; and the capacity to implement the vision. A common policy position in the form of a Ministerial Statement will be adopted at the end of the meeting which will serve as a basis for action.

This is the third year in succession that the AU and ECA are holding joint ministerial meetings. The first joint meetings were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2008, followed by Cairo, Egypt in 2009.

The Joint Meetings provide a streamlined and coherent arrangement for bringing the relevant Ministers together and a framework for strengthened collaboration between the AU and the ECA.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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