HARARE, Oct. 28 (Xinhua/GNA) – The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Office for southern Africa will hold its annual 26th meeting of the intergovernmental committee of senior experts and officials (ICSOE) for southern Africa from Oct. 28-29 to review the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 and post pandemic responses.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the UN Agency said the meeting will be held virtually in Lesotho, the incoming Chair of the 26th ICSOE under the theme: “Policies and strategic effective private sector led growth and job creation.”
The ICSOE is a United Nations (UN) General Assembly policy sub-organ of the ECA’s Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
It is a forum for Member States’ senior officials and experts to engage on policy and program-related matters in each of the five sub-regions of Africa, North, Central, West, East and South.
The ICSOE is part of ECA’s governance machinery, which meets annually to consider, provide guidance, endorse the formulation and implementation of the programmes of work in line with the priorities of each sub-region, and proffer recommendations.
Among others, the 26th annual meeting will also review the implementation of regional and international agendas, including NEPAD and other special initiatives in the sub-region focusing on progress in the implementation of the agreement on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
ECA said the meeting will serve as a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on strategies and policies towards supporting the private sector as drivers of development, job creation, and growth in the region.
“It is expected that the 26th ICSOE of Southern Africa will review the social and economic conditions in Southern Africa focusing on the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the post pandemic responses,” it said.
“Overall, the delegates will proffer recommendations to refocus the work of the Secretariat towards regional priorities and align technical support to member States, COMESA and SADC, accordingly,” ECA said.
South Africa, the country that has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases and reported deaths in Africa, is in southern Africa. The regional power house has so far recorded 717,000 cases of COVID-19, including 647,000 recoveries and 19,008 deaths.
GNA