By Aliyu DANLADI
The 13th African Economic Conference (AEC) has called for African countries to leverage the full range of their strengths and resources to accelerate the region’s drive towards continental integration.
According to a joint opening statement from the UN, participants made the call at ongoing conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
The conference, jointly organised by the UN Development Programme, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and the African Development Bank, follows the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).
The AfCTA was signed in March by 44 countries and seen as an ambitious effort to form what has the potential to be the world’s biggest free trade agreement.
It aims to create a single continental market of goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments across Africa.
Speaking during the conference’s opening ceremony, Claudine Uwera, Rwanda’s Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning said: “Africa’s integration is no longer a choice.
“It’s a must for the continent and its people. To become the global player that it deserves to be, Africa should integrate speedily.”
Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP Regional Director for Africa observed: “African countries need to collaborate more effectively in devising public policies that can create skills, foster innovation and technological advancement, facilitate labour mobility and access to productive assets including land and finance.”
Speaking to the urgency of ratifying the AfCFTA, Ms. Giovanie Biha, ECA Deputy Executive Secretary said: “It’s time to ratify AfCFTA; the more ambitious the liberalisation, the higher will be the gains in terms of increase in GDP and exports.”
Gabriel Negatu, Director-General, African Development Bank, stated: “We are committed to continue supporting Africa’s integration agenda for it will lead to sustained growth and allow the continent to withstand external pressures; enable African companies to grow and become global giants.”
AEC 2018 debates are expected to focus on four main themes which are conceptual underpinning of Africa’s integration and infrastructure and institution for Africa’s integration.
Other are leveraging private sector for Africa’s integration; partnerships for effective integration that address impediments to Africa’s regional and continental integration.
The high points of the conference will include the launch of three significant reports: the 2018 Visa Openness Index; the 2018 Africa Sustainable Development Report; and the African Governance Report on Tuesday Dec 4, 2018.
