15. In l-ate 1978 and early 1979, a number of agencles co-opefated in cafryingout a seri.es of studlee under the dlrectlon of the Econotllc Colmulsaion forAfrica. The studles took stock of the sttuation of the various transport and coonunlcation reaources ln Afrlca, assessed the quantltative and qualltatlve needs in these areas and lald ihe groundwork for an over-alL programde ofprojects and aetiYllles. J/ In the preanbLe, the Gen€ral Assenbly gave lhe following reasons aa justlfylng the need for a Decade : "lecogng&C the urgent need to lmprove substantially lhe transport and coEmunlcatlons infnastfucture ... Convlnced lhat effectLve support ls requlred fron the internalional GiiiiiTfrfn ordef io prouote the prlnclpl.e of coll€ctlve self-rellancefof the purpose of solving Afrlcan problens in these sectors ,..I' andI'Convlnced further of the need to adopt an integrabed approach in lhe f6Fnutatton of a global strategy for the developnent of transport and condunlcatlons tn Afflca, laklng lnto account all the problemE faclng lhe contlnent 1n lhis field."4/ tuphasls added.-5- 15. From a study of the documents subnitted to thls fLrst lnteragency reetlng(ln partLcular ElcN.r4/Eco/I51 , E/aN-I4/Eco/IJ8 and nev,L) 1! woufd appear thatr at lhe outset, the ECA Secretariat had a different concept of lta role lhan ras subsequently the caae, sj.nce, j.n docu!€nt E/cN.f4lECo/IJ8/Rev.L, paragraph 5,iL lnterprels the nandate 81ven to it as fol-lowa : "to define the basis and the constltuent elenenla of a strategy for lhe establishnent of an integraled transport and comfiunlcations neiwork for Afrlca; to prepare che developEenb programnes and plans concerning each oode of transport and comnunicatlonE for Afrj.ca, focuslng on the key seciofs of industry, agrlcullure, lrade' wlth a vlelJ to thelr deveLopnen! durlng lhe Decade 1978-1988". Il was lhus primarlly a plannlng and research role, wlth, as yei, no dlrect lnvolveEent of ECA in lhe identlflcation and executlon of speclfic Decade proJects. 17. Actually, lhe General AsseubLy reaolution requested ECA to provlde aasistance to African Governoenta !n the preparatLon ol thelr "natlonal pLansrl for the Decade. Accordi.ngly, the Executive Secrelary of ECA despatched
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the Decade of Transport and Communications in Africa, and the role of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in planning and implementing projects related to transportation and communication infrastructure. The text mentions the need to improve the transport and communication infrastructure in Africa, and the importance of a global strategy for the development of these sectors.

**Category**
Transport and communication, Economic development