la vision algérienne – Le Jeune Indépendant

The sixth biannual coordination meeting with the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) was held this Sunday in the Ghanaian capital. African leaders discussed ways to accelerate the continent’s economic integration, consolidate collaboration between the African Union and the RECs (eight in number) and revitalize Africa’s capacity for action in multilateral processes.

Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui is on site to participate in this meeting as a representative of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He was tasked by the President of the Republic to present the Algerian vision based on a more consistent rapprochement between Algeria and its African partners.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, “this high-level meeting will be devoted to strengthening coordination and cooperation between the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities and the Regional Mechanisms in different areas, with a view to supporting efforts to maintain peace and security and to accelerate the pace of development and economic integration at the continental level.”

The work focused on the convergence of the efforts of the AU and the RECs/RMs as well as on the revival of AU reforms. According to observers, delays were noted on many points. Thus, some decisions taken at previous meetings are still pending and recommendations have not been followed up.

However, significant progress in integration has been noted, despite numerous geopolitical and security tensions as well as economic crises that are shaking certain regions of the continent. This unstable situation hinders the establishment of crucial infrastructures for this integration.

Thus, the results obtained in accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) have consolidated the progress of this integration, with the Adjustment Fund having already received a capitalization of one billion US dollars. The Guided Trade Initiative, launched in October 2022, has enabled significant trade between several countries and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System has been formalized, with a view to facilitating intra-African trade in African national currencies and reducing currency transfer costs.

It is worth recalling that last year, representatives urged the AfCFTA Secretariat to extend these advances to the entire continent as they demonstrate the effectiveness of the legal framework as well as its potential for integration and socio-economic transformation. At the previous meeting, it was recommended to establish a Pan-African Stock Exchange and an African Monetary Institute to accelerate the integration process.

In this regard, it should be noted that some Member States have not ratified the AfCFTA, which constitutes an obstacle to development, the free movement of goods and merchandise and the connection of African financial markets.

This sixth meeting should precisely push African leaders to tackle blockages and other constraints in order to consolidate the gains and achieve an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

According to observers, the division of labour between the AU, RECs/RMs and Member States is a constant item on the agenda of this biannual meeting. According to experts, this division is essential to advance the political and economic integration of Africa, however, it is not yet clearly established, whether between the different AU organs or between the AU, RECs/RMs and Member States. The potential benefits of inter-REC and AU-REC collaboration have however been demonstrated in the maritime security cooperation between the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Moreover, some leaders are considering organising a summit devoted to the effective and definitive resolution of the constraints weighing on AU-REC relations.