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Top diplomats of the African Union member states met for two days for the 42nd ordinary session of the Executive Council of the union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, its headquarters.
Top diplomats of the African Union member states met for two days for the 42nd ordinary session of the Executive Council of the union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, its headquarters. Speaking at the meeting, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairperson of the AU Commission, highlighted the progress achieved in the first decade of the AU’s development Agenda 2063. He also acknowledged remaining challenges, such as long-term solutions by establishing institutions and increasing the production capacity of food and medicine industries. The construction of the African Center for Disease Control (CDC) Headquarters is nearing completion, the AU chairman added.
Another key issue was the implementation of the continental trade zone, popularly known as AfCFTA. The agreement was signed by 54 AU member states. The meeting also discussed how to take forward the agenda to make the trade agreement fully operational.
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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Acting Executive Secretary Antonio Pedro also stressed AfCFTA and called upon countries to realize the potential of the agreement, saying that the continental market provided economies of scale in manufacturing, leading to increased intra-Africa trade, which will eventually bring supply chains closer to home. He also wanted the trade bloc to focus on the self-sufficiency of essential products, such as medicines, food, and fertilisers. Consequently, he urged member countries that have not yet ratified the agreement to do so at the earliest.
