United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Vera Songwe, has stepped down, effective 1 September 2022, after five years of dedicated service to ECA and its Member States.
Announcing her decision to step down during a town hall meeting on 22 August, Ms. Songwe thanked ECA staff for their team spirit and support during her tenure. “It has been a privilege to work with you and serve the whole UN system. I cannot express enough my appreciation for the support, encouragement, guidance, patience, and friendship I received throughout these years from you,” said Ms. Songwe.
Under her leadership, ECA played a key role in promoting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) at national, subregional and continental levels; advocating for adequate resources to finance Africa’s COVID-19 recovery initiatives; fostering public-private partnerships; and promoting local manufacturing to ensure sustainable economic growth and reduce growth volatility in Africa.
In the following document titled Q&A with the Executive Secretary, she reflects on her time at the ECA and what the Commission was able to achieve under her leadership.
In a farewell note to staff on 31 August, Ms. Songwe said she was “pleased to convey the Secretary-General’s decision to designate Antonio Pedro (ECA’s Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Program Support) as Acting Executive Secretary, beginning 1 September 2022, until further notice.” She urged staff to extend their full support to Mr. Pedro.