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ing for Development, which focused on climate change and took place inKigali, and the Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference onthe Environment, which took place in Nairobi.ECA has continued to make steady progress in the implementationof its work programme for the biennium 2008-2009. Across theboard from economic policy analysis to gender and social development,statistics, information and communication technologies, governance,agriculture and food security, ECA has recorded significantachievements, including through the publication of knowledge products,consensus building and technical advisory services. Notable inthis context is the 2009 Economic Report on Africa, jointly publishedby AUC and ECA, and the Mutual Review of Development Effectiveness,produced by ECA and OECD.The Sixth African Development Forum (ADF VI) took place in AddisAbaba in November 2008 under the theme “Action on Gender Equality,Women’s Empowerment and Ending Violence against Women.”The Consensus Statement adopted at the end of the forum identifiedseveral key areas requiring immediate action, including financefor gender equality and women’s empowerment. Another key eventthat underscores the commitment of the United Nations system tosupport Africa’s development efforts is the Regional CoordinationMechanism (RCM) of UN agencies working in Africa. The RCM heldits 9th session in November 2009 and focused on the food crisis andclimate change issues. It adopted several recommendations thatwould enhance its work of the Mechanism and its Clusters and betteralign their activities with the programme priorities of the AfricanUnion and its NEPAD programme.Satisfactory progress has been realised in capacity building and empoweringthe Sub-Regional Offices (SROs), in line with the Commission’srepositioning strategy for accelerated regional integration andsocioeconomic development. The SROs are now well-equipped to respondquickly to the demands of their various sub-regions and haverecorded achievements in the context of the implementation of theMulti-Year Programmes agreed with their respective RECs.The building of partnerships is a core element of ECA’s work and acollaborative approach was further strengthened during the pastyear through our joint activities, particularly with the AU Commis-Integrating Africa153