(4 Minutes Read)
The chairperson further called on African countries to maximize the potential of the AfCFTA to make it an engine of growth and diversification of the economies to increase trade within the continent.
The AU convened two meetings in Accra, the capital city of Ghana to address issues related to African integration from 18-21 July. The sixth mid-year coordination meeting and the 45th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council, called for peace and solidarity in the continent. The theme of the meetings was ‘Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century’. They brought together the AU, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and the AU members, among others.
In his remarks, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat stressed the role the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) played in promoting integration in the continent. He said that the AfCFTA was obliged to become a lever that catalyzed structural reforms which, in turn, would facilitate the creation of wealth, through the improvement of economic governance, the mobilization of financing, and human capital.
The chairperson further called on African countries to maximize the potential of the AfCFTA to make it an engine of growth and diversification of the economies to increase trade within the continent.
Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who opened the meeting, said that some regions in Africa were still being plagued by conflict, instability, and violence that hinder development and pose a threat to broader continental security. The president therefore called on his African counterparts to work hard to find solutions to a myriad of conflicts on the continent.
The AU introduced its mid-year coordination meeting in 2017 as the principal forum to align the work of the AU and RECs and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda.
Mauritania’s President and current African Union Chair, Mohamed Cheikh Ghazouani, urged for the acceleration of the African integration process. He stressed the importance of expediting economic integration to support the continent and fulfill the aspirations of African citizens. Discussions during the meeting centered on financing mechanisms for African Union projects, particularly the funding of the organization itself, which heavily relies on contributions from non-African partners.
African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, highlighted the necessity for member countries to present a united front in upcoming engagements with international partners. He emphasized the importance of speaking with one voice at major global forums, including the G20, where the African Union now holds membership.
With ongoing regional instability in West Africa, ECOWAS nations Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso risk losing their memberships due to military coups that ousted democratically elected leaders in these countries. These nations have been under threat from terrorist organizations affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for years.
Incidentally, the 6th mid-year coordination meeting of the AU regional economic communities coincided with r the 45th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Executive Council. The two events took place between July 18 to July 21, 2024.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/cameroons-trade-with-africa-yet-to-pick-up-despite-afcfta-implementation/
The African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting assessed the progress of the Continental Integration Agenda and evaluated the efficiency of the harmonization of policies between the African Union and the regional economic communities. The meetings also endorsed the need for African countries to evolve a common stand before international agencies and other country groupings like G7.
