ECA, Morocco sign host agreement ahead of 2026 conference of ministers

Rabat, Morocco, 22 January 2026 (ECA) - UN Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretary, Claver Gatete and Morocco Minister of Economy and Finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui signed today the Host Country Agreement for the organization of ECA's 58th session and Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM2026). The agreement sets out the areas of cooperation between the Morocco and the United Nations secretariat in planning and organizing the session, which serves as ECA's principal policy-making organ.

COM 2026 will be taking place later this year in Tangiers, northern Morocco, from 28 March to 3 April under the theme: "Growth through innovation: harnessing data and frontier technologies for the economic transformation of Africa".

"We thank Morocco for its leadership and trust. By hosting COM 2026 in Tangier, Morocco is helping elevate Africa's collective economic voice and demonstrating how national leadership can drive regional solutions with global impact. Hosting COM 2026 in the city of Tangier also positions Africa's economic message at the intersection of regions, institutions, and markets, strengthening Africa's voice in global economic governance," said Mr Gatete about the agreement.

"Now is the time to deliver an impactful conference that goes beyond political commitment and leads to concrete action for Africa's economic and social transformation," he added.

"Morocco is convinced that regional integration must be a priority: African countries are often left behind when other priorities emerge, it is therefore important that we work together," said Minister Alaoui.

The Conference is an annual, continental UN event that brings together African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, governors of central banks, and entities of the United Nations system to engage and exchange views on the state of economic and social developments in Africa.

This year, discussions will include a special focus on how African countries can leverage innovation, data and frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, in support to economic transformation and job creation. The Conference will also propose practical steps by which African member States can assert digital sovereignty, including the adoption of digital public infrastructure and data centers.

Participants will include ministers, experts and government representatives, pan-African financial institutions, youth representatives, African academic and research institutions, development partners, intergovernmental organizations, media and other key stakeholders.

The ECA Executive Secretary Mr Gatete is currently on a work visit to North Africa. From 21 January to 3 February, he will be visiting Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco to meet with government officials, discuss their countries' experiences, their needs for support and opportunities for deeper cooperation and South-South cooperation.

Note to Editors:
The UN Economic Commission for Africa was established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions. Its mandate is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development.

Based in Morocco since 1963, the ECA Office for North Africa strives to enhance the environment for accelerated and inclusive growth and sustainable development through support to economic diversification, fiscal management, regional integration and a better recognition of migrant workers' economic contributions. The office also focuses a significant share of its work on issues faced by middle-income countries.

For more information on the COM2026, please visit: https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/cfm2026

Send an email to [email protected]; or a WhatsApp message to (+212) 673 734 462).
Registration: Participants are requested to register online on the Indico UN web page for the Conference: https://indico.un.org/event/1021509/

Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: [email protected]
Fifty-eighth session of the Economic Commission for Africa: Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development | Events | United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Registration Participants are requested to register online on the Indico UN web page for the Conference https://indico.un.org/event/1021509/