1. Achieving inclusive Development in Africa: Policies, processes and political settlements A policy research seminar 13-14 May 2014, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Presentation by Jalal Abdel-latif, CDD, UNECA

2. Context  UNECA’s long experience with knowledge-sharing and knowledge platforms, and its new strategic approach of promoting knowledge flows to the benefit of the Member States.  Capacity Development Division is responsible for implementing this strategy.

3. STRATEGIC REORIENTATION  The ever evolving global and regional trends and realities  Presented new opportunities to Africa’s transformative development  Aware of these dynamics and the need to become much more strategic in its capacity development support  Executive Secretary (ES) of the Commission started a process of strategic reorientation and retooling of ECA in October 2012.

4. STRATEGIC REORIENTATION  The restructuring introduced a separation of roles between substantive divisions focused primarily on policy research in selected thematic areas and the ECA CD Hub lead by a newly established Capacity Development Division (CDD) responsible for knowledge delivery.  It further defined the scope around areas of ECA’s comparative advantage to enhance support to member States and pan-African institutions through focused CD interventions.

5. THE UNECA  ECA is headed by an Executive Secretary, who is assisted by a Deputy Executive Secretary  Its work programme is supported by two pillars: (1) policy research and (2) knowledge delivery.

6. The UNECA (cont.)  There are five substantive divisions responsible for policy research:  Macroeconomic Policy, Regional Integration & Trade, Social Policy Development, Special Initiatives, and the African Centre for Statistics.  The ECA Partnerships Office and the Joint Secretariat Support Office of the ECA, AUC and AfDB complement the work of the substantive Divisions.  ECA’s policy work aims to shape Africa’s transformation by supporting a growth path which addresses the vulnerabilities that impact on people’s lives.

7. THE NEW STRUCTURE  The Capacity Development Division, IDEP (ECA’s training arm), the Division of Administration and ECA’s Subregional Offices in Rabat, Niamey, Yaounde, Kigali and Lusaka comprise the Knowledge Delivery pillar

8. Knowledge Management Knowledge generation and knowledge delivery at ECA are underpinned by  by the Strategic Planning & Operational Quality Division and  the Public Information and Knowledge Management Division

9. THE NEW ECA BUSINESS MODEL  To realize its aspiration as the premier think tank for Africa, ECA’s reprofiling exercise produced a Business Model that can be described as consisting of two main dimensions:  As a generator of sound, innovative and appropriate policy ideas through policy research, statistical data collection and analysis, and professional consultation; and  As a deliverer of these policy ideas, on request, through capacity development, provided through advice, support and training, so that ECA member States and their regional and sub-regional organizations are able to effectively introduce them.

11. Deliverer of policy ideas  The “front office” functions of this business model are to develop capacities and facilitate consideration and adoption of the policies derived through the research and analysis work. The three delivery channels are:  Policy advice to national policy-makers, through support to capacity-development initiatives and through regional advisory teams of experts in four areas: industrialization, macroeconomic policy, development planning and natural resource contract negotiations.  Policy support to regional and sub-regional efforts and to African Union Commission, NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, the APRM Secretariat and Regional Economic Communities.  Training of policy-makers and other stakeholders such as African Civil Society to provide them with the requisite skills and knowledge through the full range of training modalities – on-site courses and e-learning modules.

12. Services  ECA also provides technical advisory services to African governments, intergovernmental organizations and institutions.  Specialized regional advisory services and meaningful capacity development support to member States is provided in the following priority areas:  Promotion of industrialization  Design and implementation of macroeconomic policy  Design and articulation of development planning  Supporting mineral resources contract negotiations  Promoting the proper management of natural resources for Africa’s transformation

13. THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE NEW MODEL  ECA is fundamentally a “knowledge organization”. While knowledge is also important to the African Development Bank and the African Union  ECA’s primary role among the Pan- African institutions is making knowledge and know-how available to its constituents.

14. Branding  To project the organization as Africa’s premier think tank, responding effectively to opportunities for shaping Africa’s future and its overall transformation

15. Knowledge Management Strategy  To ensure that ECA becomes and remains Africa’s premier think tank, based on its reputation for consistently generating top quality, thoroughly researched products reflecting the latest thinking

16. 2 PRONGED  Cutting Edge Policy Research: pertinent and high-quality data and policy options that UNECA generates through its substantive and capacity sensitive research in the areas of its mandate and competence  Effective knowledge delivery: the way this knowledge is coherently and meaningfully provided and demonstrating "How" transformations can be achieved in order to influence decision making

17. Thank you