Moroni — At the end of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts held in Moroni, President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros welcomed a delegation of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and praised the successful organization of the three-day meeting which gathered around 150 participants from Comoros and Eastern Africa. .

The delegation was led by the acting Director for ECA in Eastern Africa, Mr. Andrew Mold and the Director for Southern Africa, Mr. Said Adejumobi. They were accompanied by Mr. Said Ali Said Chayhane, Minister of Finance and Budget of the Union of Comoros, and Mr. Matthias Naab, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Comoros.

The President commended the ECA for choosing Comoros as the host of the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts. ECA officials should become the "country's ambassadors", he said, pointing out the achievements of the country towards political stability and economic recovery.

As he underscored the untapped potential of the tourism sector, President Azali reiterated the Government's vision to make Comoros an emerging economy by 2030. President Azali insisted on the need to create employment opportunities for the youth in Comoros. "Young people under 30 make up 63 percent of the population", he noted, insisting on the importance to tackle unemployment, as a way to prevent the development of radical extremism.

The ECA delegation thanked the President for his government's support in organizing the meeting in Moroni and for the hospitality of the people of Comoros. The strong participation and the quality of contributions from Comoros' officials were underlined. The ECA reaffirmed its commitment to follow-up and implement the recommendations adopted in the meeting final communiqué and the technical assistance requests formulated by the Government of Comoros.