New york: The African Group at the United Nations has called for predictable, transparent, and accountable partnerships that align with both national and regional development strategies. On Wednesday, Angola's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Francisco da Cruz, emphasized the necessity of achieving tangible results, particularly for vulnerable communities, during the plenary session of the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC 2026 Partnerships Forum.

According to Angola Press News Agency, Francisco da Cruz stressed the importance of these partnerships being integrated with development strategies at both national and regional levels. These strategies include Agenda 2063, country-led priorities, and African Union structures. The focus is on utilizing Africa's young population by investing in skills development, innovation, access to energy, and sustainable cities.

He reiterated that both the 2030 Agenda and the African Union's Agenda 2063 serve as complementary frameworks designed to foster inclusive growth, structural transformation, resilience, and sustainable development. Despite political commitment from African countries, progress has been inconsistent due to structural constraints such as limited fiscal space, high levels of debt, and unequal access to finance, technology, and capacity building.

The diplomat highlighted the need for partnerships to transcend project-based approaches, aiming instead for long-term structural transformation in areas like industrialization, energy transition, infrastructure development, and sustainable urbanization. The African Continental Free Trade Area was cited as an example of how strategic partnerships can strengthen regional value chains and promote economic resilience.

He noted the African Group's view that reviewing the ECOSOC, the High-Level Political Forum, and discussions within the UN 80 Initiative are crucial policy opportunities for enhancing ECOSOC's role in coordinating sustainable development efforts within the UN system. Francisco da Cruz reaffirmed the group's commitment to fostering effective partnerships to better implement Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.