Biruk Girma
25 March 2008
Addis Ababa — East African integration is crucial to successfully attain the UN-set Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Ethiopian State Minister of Finance and Economic Development said on Monday.
In his opening speech to the 12th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) which kicked off here at the UNCC, State Minister Mekonnen said the issue of integration was of a high priority as far as Ethiopia was concerned.
He said the country was content the issue was in spotlight at the regional meeting.
"Topical issues of financial sector reforms, regional integration, NEPAD All these are topics of great concern to the sub region," he told participants who come from 13 Sub-Regional offices for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) member countries of the UNECA.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges.
They are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.
Africa's longstanding recognition of the needs and benefits of regional integration has spawned the proliferation of regional economies and protocols across the continent, according to ECA.
The 12th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) which will deliberate on the integration of the east African region within the context of meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The meeting will particularly explore on the social and economic conditions for the integration of the East African region in such a way that it boosts possibilities of meeting the UN-set Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs).
The meeting will also define the modalities for accelerating the achievement of those objectives through regional integration programmes.
The two-day meeting is being held under the theme: Meeting sub-regional challenges in the 21st century: Regional Integration and Financing for Development towards the Achievement of MDGs" In her opening speech to the regional meeting, UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary Lalla Aicha Ben Barka said the theme was very pertinent for most of African countries grappling with the challenges of meeting MDGs by 2015.
"What your theme brings to the table is how regional integration can play a role in accelerating the pace of Eastern African countries to achieve the MDGs." She told participants.
Burundi, Comoros, D.R Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda are the member states of the UNECA's Eastern Africa Sub regional office (EA-SRO).
Delegates of high-level experts in areas of planning and finance from the member countries, and representatives to regional and international organizations attended the regional meeting.
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