ADDIS ABABA, July 26 -- The Acting Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Antonio Pedro has emphasized the importance of proactive and adaptive responses to meet emerging challenges in Africa.

The UNECA chief made the remarks during the Second Quarter Accountability and Program Performance Review Meeting Tuesday with an emphasis on the need for urgency in meeting the twin agendas of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa's 50-year continental development Agenda 2063.

Pedro stressed the role of the UNECA, together with its partners, in rescuing the SDGs and accelerating the implementation of the African Union (AU)'s Agenda 2063.

He emphasized the need for "proactive and adaptive responses in a changing global environment," a UNECA statement quoted Pedro as saying. He further called on the UNECA to respond to new and emerging challenges through innovative and creative approaches.

He, in particular, reiterated the need to focus on the three major strategic tracks of the UNECA that include accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in promoting economic transformation and inclusive diversified growth.

He further emphasized the need to address the challenges of climate change, green economy and energy transition as well as strengthening macroeconomic policies and governance, stressing the three major strategic tracks must be buttressed by the UNECA's theory of change with clear value propositions and comparative advantage in order to achieve the agreed strategic objectives.

UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist Hanan Mors said the review meeting is an opportunity to showcase success, highlighting challenges and synergies across the sub-programs and collaboration with other stakeholders.

The review meeting is a quarterly evaluation process that assesses the progress of the UNECA's sub-programs and divisions in relation to their planned outcomes and targeted benchmarks. The UNECA said the meeting provides a chance to make mid-course adjustments and confirm that it is on track to meet its strategic goals.

  - Xinhua