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 (UNECA or ECA; French: Commission économique pour l'Afrique, CEA) was established in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to encourage economic cooperation among its member states (the nations of the African continent) following a recommendation of the United Nations General Assembly. It is one of five regional commissions.

The ECA has 54 member states, corresponding to the 54 member states of the United Nations that lie within the continent of Africa or in oceans nearby the continent. The ECA's mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member states, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development.[1]

On October 6, 2023, The UN Secretary General appointed Rwandan Claver Gatete as the Executive Secretary of UNECA, replacing the Cameroonian Vera Songwe.

Programs

The commission's work is structured into seven program divisions:

• African Centre for Statistics
• Macroeconomic Policy
• Social development Policy
• Innovation and Technology
• Regional integration and Trade
• Capacity Development

Locations

• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Headquarters, Africa Hall, opened 1961)
• Yaoundé, Cameroon (Central African subregional headquarters)
• Kigali, Rwanda (East African subregional headquarters)
• Rabat, Morocco (North African subregional headquarters)
• Lusaka, Zambia (Southern African subregional headquarters)
• Niamey, Niger (West African subregional headquarters)

Member States

Map showing the Member States of the ECA.

Executive Secretaries

The commission's headquarters in Addis Ababa.

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

See also

In Spanish: Comisión Económica para África para niños

• United Nations System
• United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia overlapping membership