Regional Economic Communities(RECs)
One of the key actors within both of our topics is Africa's Regional Economic Communities (RECs). These are regional groupings of African States designed to facilitate integration between its members and with the wider African Community. The African Union currently recognizes eight RECs:
How do you think RECs will tie into discussion of both of our topics? How can we leverage RECs when coming up with solutions?
You can read more about RECs here:
https://au.int/en/organs/recs
http://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/peace/recs.shtml
- Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
- Community of Sahel-Saharan State (CEN-SAD)
- East African Community (EAC)
- Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
How do you think RECs will tie into discussion of both of our topics? How can we leverage RECs when coming up with solutions?
You can read more about RECs here:
https://au.int/en/organs/recs
http://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/peace/recs.shtml
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is composed of Western African nations with common cultural and geopolitical ties. With a primary goal of a collective self-sufficiency, it supervises the social, political, and economic cooperation amongst its member states. ECOWAS’s vision for the future is centered around the establishment of a region without barriers; citizens have free movement between the nation, access to affordable interstate education and health care, and private businesses benefit from free trade. As a collective, the region regularly establishes Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with other nations, thus making a broader, tariff-free selection of trade goods available while still fostering economic competition. Most recently, ECOWAS established an EPA with the Indonesian Minister of Trade, soon to be followed by one with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), one of the most opportunist-friendly fiscal communities in the world. Moreover, through considerable efforts towards private-sector collaboration and accordant macro and micro-economic policies, a common currency is in the process of being established. To supervise the undergoing of this major interstate change, a Macroeconomic Database and Multilateral Surveillance System is being established.
ReplyDeleteAlongside fourteen other African nations, Nigeria is a committed member state of ECOWAS. In order to effectively collaborate with this bloc, we devolve several region-specific powers and responsibilities to the ECOWAS National Office of Nigeria, headed by Manaja Tula. Our permanent representative to ECOWAS is Babatunde M. Nurudeen; both Tula and Nurudeen play pivotal roles in ensuring that Nigeria adheres to transformative programs decided upon by the African Union, including the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and AU Agenda 2063. The heads of the ECOWAS National Office regularly meet in Lagos in order to review the implementation of the arrangements of the Community Strategic Framework, an action plan to carry out development and security initiatives specific to Nigeria. In 1980, ECOWAS heads of state and government took into consideration the Lagos Plan of Action and the Final Act of Lagos stipulating the establishment of an African Economic Community. Currently, Nigeria accounts for 73% of exports for the entire region, thus dominating the trade sector of the economic community.
The ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) adopted in 1979 is one example of success in regional member state cooperation. It is the main framework for trade and market integration as it addresses the free movement of goods, persons, and transportation. The ETLS also seeks to remedy problems arising from colonial-era infrastructure, which focused on exporting goods from Africa as efficiently as possible without regard for interregional transportation. Part of the ETLS is the Customs and Connectivity Programme, which takes advantage of technological infrastructure in order to share information within and between member states. Moving forward, Nigeria believes that maintaining ECOWAS as a region of free trade is integral to facilitating developmental tech infrastructure that spans across nations and promoting fair, transparent governance.
Because the Treaty of Lagos from 1975 did not contain components relating to the crucial topics of peace, security, stability and governance, the maintenance of regional safety relies on the promotion of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS in 1993. The following year, member states agreed upon the adoption of the Protocol on Mutual Assistance Defense for mutual assistance in defense against any armed threat or aggression on a member state. The country of Nigeria fully supports any efforts on part of ECOWAS to establish institutions and programs that maintain good governance and peace and security within the region. At all ends, conflict prevention and the furtherance of civil society lies at the heart of human development in Africa.
Thank you for your thoughtful response! This research should be useful to your when forming blocks.
DeleteThe Arab Republic of Egypt, being a part of 2 of the 8 Regional Economic Communities, has held strong support towards specifically COMESA, or the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. COMESA was created in 1993 by the COMESA Treaty, emphasizing free trade within these regions. As dictated within Article 3 of the Treaty, the primary objectives include attaining sustainable growth within Member States, joint development for all levels of economic activity, and overall domestic investment. Dedicating its time towards the improvement of economic conditions in Africa, The Arab Republic of Egypt is a strongholder towards such views and have expanded economic projects of their own as well. Considering how there is a lack of economic development, specifically geared within mobile technologies and renewable energy, Egypt is prominent towards the high impact of these RECs.
ReplyDeleteCOMESA has specifically worked on the trade sector of the economic situation, in the integration of effective trade on a inter-continental level. Their strategy within the COMESA Medium Term Strategic Plan 2016-2020 emphasizes the priority of 9 strategic objectives. The strategic objectives include strengthening market integration, attracting increased investments, strengthening the blue/ocean economy, harnessing the benefits of strategic partnerships, strengthening development of economic infrastructure (energy, transport. ICT), industrialization, fostering gender equality and social development, ensuring regional readiness, and strengthening regional knowledge and skills capacity. With the primary outreach to these 9 objectives, Egypt, along with the countries within this specific REC, are confident upon the potential of economic prosperity.