UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Carlos Lopes, embarks on his first working visit to Cameroon on 11 February 2014. During the three-day visit, Mr lopes will meet with the country's top Government officials, heads of international organisations and the press to discuss Africa's challenges, opportunities and priorities as well as the continent's transformation agenda, which is currently the Commission's top priority.

ECA is now implementing its own reforms to match Africa's most important socioeconomic priorities especially at this time when the continent is witnessing significant growth with some of its countries making their mark among the world's fastest growing nations. This growth posture has to be consistent and reinforced by structural transformation made possible by resource-based industrialisation and the provision of services. And within the context of its current reform, ECA argues that it is time for a the continent to pursue a transformation agenda because remarkable changes usually occur during periods of growth as opposed to periods of recession, and due to its burgeoning urban population.

It is worth noting that many African countries are actually experiencing a favourable macroeconomic climate (having unprecedented levels of financial reserves that have reached 500 billion dollars, an average inflation rate of 7%, a well regulated financial sector and managed levels of deficits. ECA believes countries within Central Africa in general and Cameroon in particular are in a unique position to achieve this transformation given the sub-region's enormous natural resources and current efforts to improve its infrastructure.