Addis Ababa — The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Social Development unit, is hosting the third session of the Committee on Human and Social Development (CHSD) on October 2 in Addis Ababa.

The meeting is to strengthen the capacity of member states to develop, implement and monitor social policies and programmes. It will also help participants to understand the role Africa's population could play in ensuring an inclusive and sustainable transformation of the continent.

With the theme: "Population and Development Beyond 2014", the forum will afford ECA member states and observers the opportunity to deepen discussions on the best way to address social issues in Africa and the role the Commission could play in that regard.

It will also review progress of human and social development in Africa, identifying challenges, what has worked and implementation gaps to ensure the desired impact is obtained.

The conference is also expected to provide strategic vision and direction to ECA's sub-programme by reviewing activities implemented during the period 2012-2013 and discussing those planned for 2014-2015.

Delegates will have the opportunity to make recommendations that will be used to strengthen ECA's Social Development activities in order to better serve the African continent and its regional and sub-regional organizations.

The CHSD is made up of experts from ECA, member states, the African Union Commission (AUC) as well as representatives from the UN system, civil society organizations and academia.