UNESCO´s Director-General established a UNESCO Committee for NEPAD following the Forward looking Approaches and Innovative strategies for the development of Africa in the XXIth Century (November 8-9, 2001).

The UNESCO Committee for NEPAD is a consultative committee comprised of nine external individuals, chosen by the Director-General on the basis of their knowledge of different African sub-regions and field of competences of UNESCO, in addition to members of the Secretariat.