New Social Contract Vital For Accelerating Sustainable Development In Africa, Says ECA

Claver Gatete, the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), has stressed the importance of a new social contract to advance fair and equal opportunities for African citizens, during a meeting of experts and policymakers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Addressing the audience, Gatete emphasized the need for governments to commit to creating new social contracts that ensure equal rights and opportunities for all while integrating employment, sustainable development, and social protection.

His remarks, delivered by ECA Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist, Hanan Morsy, marked the opening of the Fifth Session of the Committee on Social Policy, Poverty, and Gender of the ECA, held under the theme “Building New Social Contracts in Africa: Choices to Fulfill Developmental Aspirations.”

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The Committee on Social Policy, Poverty, and Gender is an intergovernmental body comprised of experts and policymakers who offer guidance and advice to the Gender, Poverty, and Social Policy Division of the ECA.

Gatete advocated for a whole-of-society approach to build a new social contract in Africa. He noted that the future of the continent will be significantly influenced by factors such as climate change, demographic shifts, rapid urbanization, and digital transformation. How these factors are managed, according to Gatete, will determine whether they bring benefits or challenges to the continent.

Education was highlighted as a catalyst for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, with Gatete underscoring the importance of high-quality education and lifelong learning. He emphasized the need to make education more affordable by providing subsidies and cash transfers to alleviate the financial burden on the poor. Gatete also called for education programs to be redesigned to improve quality, strengthen institutional credibility, and align education with employable skills.

“Education can be made more affordable by providing subsidies and cash transfers that can alleviate the financial burden on the poor,” said Mr. Gatete,

Gatete’s call for a new social contract was echoed by the outgoing Chair of the Fourth Bureau, Dhaoui Mohamed from Tunisia, who emphasized the importance of addressing historic inequalities and injustices to build new social contracts focused on greater inclusion and sustainability.

Florence Ayisi from Ghana, the incoming Chair of the Fifth Session of the Committee on Social Policy, Poverty, and Gender, called for African governments and stakeholders to mobilize in delivering social contracts anchored in human rights to rebuild trust and social cohesion.