About the Observatory on Regional Integration in Africa
History of Africa's Regional Integration Efforts
Key Pillars of Africa's Regional Integration
Trade and Market Integration
Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
Free Movement of Persons
Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
Regional Economic Communities
AMU - Arab Maghreb Union
AMU - Trade and Market Integration
AMU - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
AMU - Free Movement of Persons
AMU - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
CEN-SAD - The Community of Sahel-Saharan States
CEN-SAD - Trade and Market Integration
CEN-SAD - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
CEN-SAD - Free Movement of Persons
CEN-SAD - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
CEN-SAD - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
COMESA - Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
COMESA - Trade and Market Integration
COMESA - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
COMESA - Free Movement of Persons
COMESA - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
COMESA - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
EAC - Trade and Market Integration
EAC - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
EAC - Free Movement of Persons
EAC - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
EAC - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
ECCAS - Economic Community of Central African States
ECCAS - Trade and Market Integration
ECCAS - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
ECCAS - Free Movement of Persons
ECCAS - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
ECCAS - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
ECOWAS - Economic Community of West African States
ECOWAS - Trade and Market Integration
ECOWAS - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
ECOWAS - Free Movement of Persons
ECOWAS - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
ECOWAS - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
IGAD - Intergovernmental Authority on Development
IGAD - Trade and Market Integration
IGAD - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
IGAD - Free Movement of Persons
IGAD - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
IGAD - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
SADC - Southern African Development Community
SADC - Trade and Market Integration
SADC - Macroeconomic Policy Convergence
SADC - Free Movement of Persons
SADC - Peace, Security, Stability and Governance
SADC - Harmonisation of Sectoral Policies
Developments on the Boosting Intra-African Trade Initiative and the Continental Free Trade Area
Initiatives Promoting Coherence in Investment Regulation and Supporting Investment for Africa's Transformation
Highlights – Africa Regional Integration Index Report 2016
ECA Country Profiles
The Assembly of the African Union have adopted and are pursuing regional integration as an overarching continental development strategy. In 1991, African Heads of State and Government signed the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (the Abuja Treaty), which provides the guiding principles and goals, and a region-wide framework to strengthen the integration agenda. The vision at the continental level is to achieve an African Economic Community by the end of six successive stages. The rationale behind the six-phased approach is that the integration vision should first consolidate at the regional level, through creating and strengthening the regional economic communities, which would eventually merge into the African Economic Community. The illustration below provides a preview of this process.
Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community
Strengthening of existing regional economic communities; establishing new regional economic communities in regions where they did not exist previously
Stabilization of tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs duties and internal taxes in each regional economic community
Schedules for the removal of such barriers
Harmonization of customs duties
Strengthening of sector integration
Coordination and harmonization of the activities of regional economic communities
Third stage
Establishment of a free trade area and customs union in each regional economic community
Coordination and harmonization of tariffs and non-tariff systems among regional economic communities, leading to a continental customs union
Fifth stage
Common sector policies
Harmonization of monetary, financial and fiscal policies
Free movement of persons and rights of residence and establishment
Sixth stage
African Common Market
Pan-African Economic and Monetary Union
African Central Bank
Development of African multinational enterprises
Source: ECA adaption of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (June, 1991).
There are eight regional economic communities recognized as the building blocks of the African Union. The following communities are expected to serve their member States with the implementation of the regional integration agenda:
Community of Sahel-Saharan States
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
Economic Community of West African States
Intergovernmental Authority on Development
Southern African Development Community
The path to African integration has been marked by a series of major initiatives and political decisions to accelerate it and to integrate variables of new imperatives in international economic relations. The Abuja Treaty stipulates that African States must endeavour to strengthen their regional economic communities, in particular by coordinating, harmonizing and progressively integrating their activities in order to attain the African Economic Community. To measure the process of integration, the Observatory on Regional Integration in Africa has identified five key pillars derived from treaties and protocols of the African Union and the regional economic communities:
a) Trade and market integration
b) Macroeconomic policy convergence
c) Free movement of persons
d) Peace, security, stability and governance
e) Harmonization of sectoral policies