Yaoundé — From 1- 2 December 2014, Cameroon's economic capital, Douala, will host an ad hoc expert group meeting on "improving the business climate in Central Africa". Organised by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the main objective of the meeting is to afford experts a platform to craft measures likely to act as catalysts for the development of a dynamic and competitive private sector at the service of the economic growth of countries of the sub-region. In addition, participants will assess the progress accomplished in implementing the CEMAC Business Climate Observatory.

The meeting shall be open mainly to the two Regional Economic Communities, namely ECCAS and CEMAC and their specialised institutions, as well as to OHADA, BEAC, BDEAC, national and sub-regional institutions, employer s'organisations, the business community, chambers of commerce and member States. Participation in the meeting shall also be open to partner institutions such as UNIDO, EU, CDE, UNDP and AfDB.

The meeting is expected to yield pertinent recommendations for improving the business climate in the sub-region.

The ad hoc expert group meeting shall be followed by the 6th session of the Sub-Regional Coordination Mechanism (SRCM) of the UN system-wide support to the AU/NEPAD programs in Central Africa from 3 - 4 December 2014.

The main objectives of the SRCM meeting are as follows: i) carry out a mid-term review of progress on the 2013-2016 second Common Indicative Program (CIP) to support ECCAS, CEMAC and their specialised institutions; ii) explore for possible partnerships to implement actions towards harmonising regional integration policies, programmes and instruments in Central Africa; and iii) update the network of SRCM focal points and evaluate its mode of operation. It is to be noted that during the 5th session of the SRCM held in Douala in October 2014, experts proposed 112 activities for the development of Central over the period running until 2016.