United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Org type	Primary Organ - Regional Branch
Status	Active
Headquarters	Africa Hall, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Website	www.uneca.org

Map showing the subregions of the ECA:
North Africa West Africa Central Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (often called UNECA or ECA) is a special group that works to help countries in Africa grow and work together. It was started in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. This group is one of five similar commissions around the world that are part of the United Nations.

The ECA has 54 member countries. These are all the countries in Africa or nearby islands that are also part of the United Nations. The main goal of the ECA is to help these countries develop their economies and improve social life. It also helps them work together more closely and get support from other countries for Africa's growth.

On October 6, 2023, Claver Gatete from Rwanda became the new leader of UNECA. He is called the Executive Secretary.

How UNECA Helps Africa
- Main Programs and Focus Areas
Where UNECA Works
- Regional Offices
Countries Working with UNECA
Leaders of UNECA
See also

How UNECA Helps Africa

The ECA works on many different projects to help African countries. These projects are organized into seven main areas. They focus on making life better for people across the continent.

Main Programs and Focus Areas

African Centre for Statistics: This group collects and uses numbers and facts to understand how countries are doing.
Macroeconomic Policy: This looks at big picture economic plans for countries and the whole region.
Social Development Policy: This focuses on improving people's lives, like education and health.
Innovation and Technology: This helps countries use new ideas and technology to grow.
Regional Integration and Trade: This encourages countries to work together and trade more easily.
Capacity Development: This helps people and organizations in Africa get the skills they need.

Where UNECA Works

The main office for UNECA is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This building is called Africa Hall and it opened in 1961. But UNECA also has smaller offices in different parts of Africa to help specific regions.

Regional Offices

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Main Headquarters)
Yaoundé, Cameroon (For Central Africa)
Kigali, Rwanda (For East Africa)
Rabat, Morocco (For North Africa)
Lusaka, Zambia (For Southern Africa)
Niamey, Niger (For West Africa)

Countries Working with UNECA

Map showing the Member States of the ECA.

The ECA has 54 member states. These are the countries that work together as part of the commission. They are all located in Africa or are islands close to the continent.

Leaders of UNECA

The commission's headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The person in charge of UNECA is called the Executive Secretary. Here is a list of the people who have held this important job since the ECA started.

Name	Country	Years
Claver Gatete	Rwanda	2023 - Present
Vera Songwe	Cameroon	2017 - 2023
Carlos Lopes	Guinea-Bissau	2012 - 2016
Abdoulie Janneh	Gambia	2005 - 2012
K. Y. Amoako	Ghana	1995 - 2005
Layashi Yaker	Algeria	1992 - 1995
Issa Diallo	Guinea	1991 - 1992
Adebayo Adedeji	Nigeria	1975 - 1991
Robert K. A. Gardiner	Ghana	1961 - 1975
Mekki Abbas	Sudan	1959 - 1961