Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 March 2011 -- The construction of African developmental states has been called for as a means for promotion of structural economic transformation, scaling up integration endeavors, achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other social development objectives.

With only four years remaining to the MDGs target date, a significant number of African countries will not achieve most of the targets at the current rate of progress. The need for African developmental states to put in place strong regional and continental integration institutions was underlined in the ministerial statement issued at the conclusion of the 4th Joint Annual Meetings of AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, held from 28 – 29 March 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Governing Development in Africa: The Role of State in Economic Transformation”.

A panel session on “Health Financing” co-chaired by Dr. Luis G. Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa, and Advocate Bience Gawanas, Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) was convened with participation of Ministers of Economy and Finance, and Health. During the session, having deliberated with great interest, it was underlined that Investment in Health is investment in economic development. A robust African health system is an opportunity to accelerate economic development and growth, contributing to saving millions of lives and preventing life-long disabilities, and move countries closer to achieving objectives of national poverty reduction strategies and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This was clearly illustrated in the African Investment Case, a paper presented at the plenary session.