Addis Ababa, 20 March 2015 (Joint Press Release ECA-AUC) - The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are on everyone's mouth. The excitement is palpable; the talk is fresh. However, with all the talk, it is clear that serious groundwork is and needs to be underway and common positions have to be established.

As part of the preparations, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will host a regional consultation for African state representatives, experts on financing for development, researchers, think-tanks and financial institutions. ECA wants to ensure diverse views from the continent are understood, noted and represented.

Using data collected since the establishment of the Monterrey Consensus in 2002 and expert analysis, those meeting on the 23rd -24th March will discuss development finance priorities and challenges for Africa in the context of structural transformation. The Monterrey Consensus commits to a set of guiding actions considered instrumental in improving the mobilisation and retention of financial resources to enable countries to eradicate poverty, achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development, and meet the more specific goals set forth in the Millennium Development Goals.

The participants are expected to produce a draft Common African Position on Financing for development which will be forwarded to the third International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Addis Ababa from 13th to 16th July 2015.

The July Conference will convene high-level political representatives, including Heads of State and Government, as well as all relevant institutional stakeholders, non-governmental organizations and private sector entities to discuss, deliberate and negotiate a development finance framework which will constitute an important contribution to and support the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.

Jointly issued by the ECA and the AUC