The high-level meeting on Africa’s development needs will take place at United Nations headquarters in New York on 22 September 2008. The theme of the meeting is: “Africa’s development needs: state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward.”

The meeting takes place at a time of both promise and challenge for the continent. While on the one hand many African countries have shown strong GDP growth and progress on the MDGs over the last few years, rising world prices for food and oil, climate change and intractable conflict threaten to reverse these gains. The high-level meeting provides an opportunity for world leaders to come together to renew their commitments to Africa’s development and focus attention on how to address the challenges.

In its resolution 62/242, the General Assembly decided that this meeting will be held at the highest possible political level, with the participation of Heads of State or Government, ministers, special representatives and other representatives, as appropriate. Given the importance of the issues, the President of the General Assembly has written to all delegations to encourage representation at the highest political level.

The meeting will also be attended by civil society organisations, intergovernmanetal organisations, UN agenices, funds and programmes, as well as the Bretton Woods institutions the World Trade Organization, the regional development banks, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The meeting will conclude with the adoption of a Political Declaration.

For further information, please check the website of the President of the 62nd Assembly of the United Nations