Assembly/AU/Dec.441(XIX) Page 1 DECISION ON THE IMPROVED COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION, THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AfDB) AND THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA (ECA) The Assembly, 1. NOTE WITH APPRECIATION the very successful convening of the Fifth Meeting of the Joint African Union (AU) Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development whose theme was “Unleashing Africa’s Potential as a Pole of Global Growth”; 2. RECALLS its previous decisions on strengthening the cooperation between the Commission, the AfDB and ECA adopted in Banjul, Gambia, and Kampala, Uganda; 3. FURTHER RECALLS its previous decisions welcoming the Repositioning of ECA to support the agenda of the African Union and its NEPAD Programme and help the continent meet its development challenges; 4. NOTES WITH APPROVAL the active implementation of its decision for the African Union and the ECA to continue to undertake joint activities, projects and programmes for Africa’s development and the emergence of the Joint AU-ECA Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development as the major annual ministerial platform for deliberation and exchange of views or issues relating to Africa’s growth and development; 5. ALSO NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the highly improved functioning of the Regional Coordination Mechanism of UN Agencies working in support of the African Union and its NEPAD Agency, which is jointly convened by the Commission and ECA, as well as the successful take-off of the AU-AfDB-ECA Joint Secretariat Support Office; 6. REAFFIRMS the continued importance of the strong relations of collaboration, cooperation and coherence developed between the Commission and ECA and CALLS for the continued alignment of ECA strategic plan to the priorities of the AU; 7. RECOGNIZES the positive role of Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the outgoing United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA, in promoting the regional integration agenda of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities as well as the building of strong partnerships and coherent program delivery between the Commission, the AfDB and the ECA; 8. HIGHLY COMMENDS Mr. Janneh for his pan-Africanist spirit, laudable service and commitment to the integration and development of Africa and URGES his continued involvement in this agenda as an exceptional gesture.