The Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)  Mr Abdoulie Janneh, on Thursday in Addis Ababa said there were strong indications that Africa would likely maintain a steady growth of five per cent this year.

He made the statement in Addis Ababa when he declared open a meeting of the Committee of Experts as a prelude to the fourth Joint AU/UNECA Conference of Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development scheduled to start today.

Janneh said the prospects for improved economic performance in Africa in 2011 were quite favourable.

“Even as the world economy as a whole remains mired in crisis, Africa grew on average by 4.5 per cent in 2010 up from 2.3 per cent in 2009 and will most likely maintain steady growth of about five per cent in 2011’’, he said.

He said some of the indicators showed strong performance in agriculture and natural resources sectors, the rebound of tourism and the use of countercyclical policies in some countries.

Janneh said while there was some progress on the social front, there were also major challenges facing the continent.

“Africa’s relatively strong growth is yet to translate into poverty reduction while the continent needs meaningful job creation especially for its rapidly expanding young population, which in the experience of several countries can undermine social stability and economic growth’’, Janneh said.

He said the troubling situation of high unemployment was being further compounded by rising oil and food prices, the dangers of climate change as well as gloomy outlook in some of Africa’s major trading and development partners with negative consequences for export and tourism and foreign direct investment.

Janneh said the theme of the conference “Governing Development in Africa’’ was chosen as a imperative of bringing about the transformation of African economies, as it aimed at putting the whole issue of development back on the governance agenda in Africa.

“There has been a vast improvement in the discourse and attitudes to accountability, democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Africa, but these have mainly been in the context of the functioning of firms and corporations,’’ he said.

The Tide source correspondent in Addis Ababa reports that about 60 ministers and more than other 600 participants are expected to attend the conference.

Nigeria is to be represented by Ministers of Finance, National Planning, Health and the Governor of Central Bank among other senior government officials at the two-day conference.

A document entitled Africa 2011, jointly published by the AU and the ECA would be launched at the conference on today.