African ministers of finance, planning and economic development are to meet in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa from April 2 to 3 to discuss how to accelerate growth on the continent to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The meeting will also feature a panel discussion involving Benjamin Mkapa, former Tanzanian president, and eminent economists Nicholas Stern and Jeffrey D. Sachs.

Mkapa also previously co-chaired the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, and was also a commissioner on the Commission for Africa, set up by British Prime Minster Tony Blair.

The panelists will bring their considerable experience in global economic policymaking to enrich the discussion on strategies and the way forward to achieving the MDGs.

One important area for discussion will be the design of the right mix of interventions that African countries need to implement in order to accelerate growth and development.

Other key topics for discussions include: growth, employment and inequality in Africa; scaling up financing and public sector investments; planning, monitoring and tracking economic performance; peace and security; and partnerships and globalization.

A meeting of the Committee of Experts will precede the conference from March 29 to April 1. In addition to the ministers, more than 200 participants, including central bank governors, leading academics and researchers, and international partners, are expected to attend.

The theme for the conference is "accelerating Africa's growth and development to meet the MDGs: emerging challenges and the way forward."

The theme will serve as a powerful reminder to African governments and international partners that the date for meeting the MDGs through much needed investments and policies will soon be past.

Recent assessments by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and others conclude that Africa is at risk of not achieving the goals by the target date.

September 2007 will mark the mid-point on the road to 2015, the date for achieving the MDGs.

The Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is organized by the ECA every year.

The meetings have become a key forum for agreement on strategy in tackling key challenges facing the continent.

Last year's meeting, held in Burkina Faso, discussed the critical issue of employment creation in Africa, and developed a strategy, which has been endorsed by African heads of states and governments.

Source: Xinhua