Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 11 July 2025 (ECA) – The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Claver Gatete, led ECA’s participation in the 7th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (#AUMYCM) held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
The AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting is the principal platform for aligning the work of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Regional Mechanisms to advance Africa’s integration and development agenda. It ensures effective coordination of the AU’s priorities, with the AfCFTA at the center of efforts to create a single African market and drive sustainable growth.
In his address to the African Union Executive Council, Gatete called for urgent collective action as Africa faces converging crises, including slow growth, high debt burdens, shrinking concessional financing, and mounting economic uncertainty.
“The question is no longer what to do, but how urgently we can do it,” he emphasized.
He proposed five strategic priorities for Africa’s transformation:
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Accelerating AfCFTA implementation to unlock trade and investment opportunities.
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De-risking investment to attract long-term financing.
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Developing value chains and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to boost industrialization and regional competitiveness.
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Digitizing taxation and formalizing the economy to increase domestic resource mobilization and productivity.
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Ensuring climate resilience to protect growth gains and support sustainable development.
“These are interconnected levers for sustainable growth,” he noted, “and the ECA stands ready to support member states with data, policy tools, and partnerships to build an Africa that is integrated, prosperous, and resilient by design.”
While in Malabo, Mr Gatete also held high-level bilateral meetings to deepen collaboration with Equatorial Guinea’s institutions in support of the country’s development goals.
He met with Mr Marcelino Owono Edu, President of the Economic and Social Development Council of Equatorial Guinea, ahead of the High-Level Political Dialogue on Economic Transformation. He praised the Council as a strong example of providing independent, unbiased policy advice to government, reducing conflicts of interest inherent when civil servants advise the presidency.
Mr. Gatete also met with Ivan Bacale Ebe Molina, Minister of Finance of Equatorial Guinea, to explore collaboration on domestic revenue mobilization, economic diversification, and capacity building. He expressed ECA’s readiness to offer tailored technical support aligned with the country’s specific needs.
The Executive Secretary concluded his mission by participating in the High-Level Political Dialogue on Economic Transformation, Private Sector Development, and Employment, co-organized by the Economic and Social Development Council of Equatorial Guinea with the UN Resident Coordinator’s office support.
The High-Level Dialogue offered a crucial platform to discuss development challenges and identify opportunities to promote inclusive and sustainable economic transformation.
The Dialogue brought together high-level government officials, business leaders, private sector representatives, development partners, civil society organizations, and academics, signaling a shared commitment to chart a new course for Equatorial Guinea’s sustainable development.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org