Third African Development forum due to be held in Addis

 Addis Ababa, July 31 (ENA)--The third African Development Forum (ADF) organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) would take place 9-13 December 2001 in Addis Ababa.

  The forum to be held under the them  "defining priorities for regional integration" would identify the priorities and policy options for accelerating regional integration in Africa, and elaborate the necessary steps for economic and momentary union in the continent’s setting.

 According to an ECA press release posted on the internet on July 30,2001, ADF 2001 would bring together a wide spectrum of stakeholders, governments, parliamentarians as well as the business, finance, labor and civil society to discuss issues, refine options and seek consensus on the way ahead.

 Drawing on political impetus from the coming into force of the African union, ADF 2001 will help galvanize a broad-based process to harmonize and accelerate integration efforts in the continent and build consensus around the key strategic actions that need to be taken. 

The conclusions and recommendations of ADF 2001 will be conveyed, through the OAU, to the summit of heads of state and government due to be held in Pretoria, south Africa, in July 2002.

 The ADF has gained recognition as an effective forum for informed dialogue and consensus building on key African development challenges, and for agreeing on implementation priorities and strategies at national, sub-regional and regional levels. 

ADF 1999 focused on ways to accelerate the information revolution in Africa and ADF 2000 on Africa’s leadership challenge to manage the crisis of HIV/AIDS.

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