text: 41. Since the beginnlng of the Decade, the Co-ordlnatlng ConmiLtee has heLd seven meetings, The nesult of these meeLingg has been the gradual development of a cllmate of 'rcollective responslblllty" on the part of agencles wlbh regard!o lhe Decade, as exernplified in the decision io plan jolntly the appo;"lionnentof UNDP reglonal funds earnarked for the Decade, lhus avoiding unnecessary competi.tion between agencles pegarding Lhe allocation of such funds. Througl. the Co-ordinating Comrnittee, the agencies too, have also done vibal work inidentlfylng projects and formulating the progranme of the Decade, parLicularly wiLh regard to the ldenLlflcation and formulaLion of regional and subreglonalproJects. Moreover, the Co-ordlnatlng CorunltteeIs proposals for Lhe regional programme seldon seem to have been anended by the Afrlcan ninisters. In general, the projects proposed by ihe Co-ordi.nating Comnittee, the plannlng and executionof some of which had begun before the Decade, can be said to have formed the nucleus of the Decade progratnne to vrhich proJects (many of lhen of naLional importance) proposed by African Governnents have been added. 44. lhe Co-ordinating Comruittee's meetlngs have also provided a forum for discussion of the conception and orienLation of the Decade. From the reportsof the various neetings, it j,s cleap that Lhe agencies Beneral-Iy supported ECAin its role as lead agency and even encouraged the secretariat to play a nore prominent role 12l. The Co-ordinating Committee, on a number of occasions, drew aLtention to the fact Lhat the programne of the Decade resembled a collecLlon of unrelaled projects rather than a coherenL whole. The Comnittee also supported ECA Hith regard to Lhe allernative programne which it had prepared for the secand phase and, in an effort to reduce the danger of the programne beconing lncoherent and over-stretched, even proposed ab lts most recenL meeting (January f984) that African mi.nisLers should agree to consider ii as rther
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the coordination and planning of a decade-long program, likely related to economic development or international cooperation, as it mentions agencies, regional funds, and the role of a lead agency (ECA). The text also touches on the importance of coherence and avoiding duplication of efforts, which suggests a focus on programmatic planning rather than specific sectors like natural resources or industry.