The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Office for Southern Africa is hosting the 26th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) for Southern Africa virtually on the theme “Policies and Strategic Effective Private Sector Led Growth and Job Creation” from October 28 to 29, 2020.
The 26th Meeting of the ICSOE was originally meant to be hosted in Maseru, Lesotho will now be held virtually under the chairmanship of the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho (in-coming Chair of the 26th ICSOE). It serves 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.
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 programme-related matters in each of the five (5) 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.
It is expected that the 26th ICSOE of Southern Africa will: – (i) 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 (ii) consider and endorse the implementation of the programme of work of SRO-SA, the planned programme of work and the budget for 2021; and (iii) 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).
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.
