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

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA or ECA) is a special group created by the United Nations. It started in 1958. Its main job is to help countries in Africa work together. It also helps them grow their economies and improve life for their people.

The ECA is one of five similar groups around the world. These groups help different regions with their economic and social needs. The ECA works with 54 African countries. These are all the countries in Africa that are also members of the United Nations.

The ECA's main goals are to:

Help African countries develop economically and socially.
Encourage countries in Africa to work more closely together.
Get international help for Africa's development.

Since October 6, 2023, Claver Gatete from Rwanda has been the head of UNECA. He is called the Executive Secretary.

What Does UNECA Do?
Where is UNECA Located?
Countries Working with UNECA
Leaders of UNECA
Learn More
See also

What Does UNECA Do?

The ECA has different teams that focus on specific areas. These teams help African countries in many ways.

How Does UNECA Help Africa Grow?

The ECA's work is divided into seven main areas. Each area helps African countries in a unique way:

African Centre for Statistics: This team collects and uses data to understand Africa's progress.
Macroeconomic Policy: This group helps countries make good financial plans.
Social Development Policy: This team works on improving people's lives and well-being.
Innovation and Technology: This area focuses on bringing new ideas and tech to Africa.
Regional Integration and Trade: This team helps African countries trade more with each other.
Capacity Development: This group helps people and organizations in Africa get better skills.

Working Towards a Better Future

The ECA helps African countries achieve important goals. These include the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a plan by the UN to make the world better by 2030.

The ECA also works with Agenda 2063. This is a long-term plan created by the African Union for Africa's future. It was agreed upon in 2015. The ECA helps countries combine these two plans. This makes sure that both global and African goals are met.

The ECA has created tools to help countries plan better. These tools show how the SDGs and Agenda 2063 can work together. They also show where there might be challenges. For example, some goals in Agenda 2063, like creating African financial groups, are not directly in the SDGs.

The ECA also holds meetings called "Regional Fora for Sustainable Development." These meetings are like smaller versions of a big UN meeting. They help African countries talk about their progress and challenges. For instance, after a meeting in 2021, the ECA worked to get more money for the Congo Basin. They shared their ideas at big global conferences.

Helping with Money for Climate Action

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many countries to have more debt. This led to talks about new ways to get money. The ECA started a new project in 2021. It is called the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility.

This project aims to get money from private companies. It helps African countries manage their bonds (a type of loan). It also encourages investments that support the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.

Where is UNECA Located?

The main office of the ECA is in Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This building opened in 1961.

The ECA also has five smaller offices. These offices help different parts of Africa:

Countries Working with UNECA

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

Map showing the Member States of the ECA.

The ECA works with 54 countries. These are all the African countries that are members of the United Nations. They include:

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 role:

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