Aide-Memoire

Fourth Session of Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
24-25 March 2005

I. Background

1. The Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration was established by the ECA Conference of Ministers with its resolution 826 (XXXII) adopted on 8 May 1997 as part of the new intergovernmental machinery of the Commission. The Committee was created to assume the tasks of the former Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Trade, Regional Cooperation and Integration and Tourism. The creation of the Committee took fully into account the role of similar organs of African organizations involved in the promotion of regional cooperation and integration. Indeed, as requested by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at its 1994 Session in Tunis, the reform of the institutional machinery of ECA was carried out with a view to harmonizing it with those of sister organizations, in particular the African Economic Community (AEC/OAU).

2. In this regard, it was felt that the functions of the Conference of African Ministers for Trade, Regional Cooperation and Integration and Tourism would duplicate at policymaking level, those of the Economic and Social Commission of the AEC, which became operational in 1996. Such duplication was unlikely to take place with the creation of the Committee since the latter is only a subsidiary technical arm of the ECA Conference of Ministers aimed at facilitating the coordination of the relevant activities of the Commission with the other actors of the economic integration process in Africa.

3. The first session of the Committee was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in April 1999. It was combined with a forum on "The Challenges of Regional Economic Integration in Africa, with Particular Focus on Resource Mobilization to Support the Process". OAU, ADB, all RECs, UNDP, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the African Economic Research Consortium participated in the session. Among other things, the Committee/Forum reviewed progress made towards the African Economic Community (AEC), and the role of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in fostering the integration process. The second session of the Committee was held in March 2002 in Addis Abeba. The meeting mainly considered two studies prepared by the ECA on issues concerning the implementation of subregional trade liberalization scheme as well as a report on the follow up of the first session of the committee.

4. The third session of the Committee held in October 2003 considered matters pertaining to ECA's activities in support of the economic integration process in Africa. The Committee reviewed three reports prepared by ECA: the status of regional integration in Africa; the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision on air transport; and the issues and prospects of air transport liberalization in Africa. The review was conducted in accordance with the work programme of a newly created sub-programm of ECA, i.e., Trade and Regional Iintegration Division (TRID), approved for the period 2002-2003. The meeting was an occasion for the Committee to be briefed by the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other organizations on new development taking place within their respective communities.

II. Objectives of the Meeting

5. The Committee will in its fourth session from the 24 march to 25 march 2005 meet to consider matters pertaining to ECA's activities in support of trade promotion and economic integration process in Africa. In this regard, the Committee will review the major activities undertaken during the current biennium and work priorities for the next biennium of 2006-2007. The Committee will also review two report prepared by ECA on Intra African Trade and on Trade facilitation, in accordance with the work programme of TRID approved for the period 2004-2005.

III. Theme/Topic to be discussed

6. The Committee will consider inter-alia reports prepared by ECA on:

a) Intra African trade: Promotion of intra African trade is a key component of effective regionale integration through which the African economies could achieve sustained growth. It has been noticed since a decade that one of the main reasons behind poor performance in regional integration are, among others, the ineffective and poor performance of intra African trade (less than 8%of Africa's total trade) at the sub-regional and regional levels. Therefore, ECA is trying to assist African countries to enhace their trade strategy.

b) The Status of the multilateral negociations-WTO: This to inform the member states of the latest development in the WTO and also to assist countries in the region to develop and refine their strategies for further negotiations under the DDA; identify key areas of importance to African countries in the various "modalities" to be negotiated, particularly for agriculture and non-agricultural market access and any other areas and to develop suggestions on modalities for agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA), as well as for negotiations on trade facilitation;

c) The outcome and implications of EPAs negotiations for African countries in order to develop and refine the strategies for further negotiations, identify key areas to African countries in the various modalities to be negotiated with particular emphasis on development issues, market access, agriculture, non agriculture, trade in services and trade related areas as well as strategy for future negotiations.

IV. Participation

7. The meeting will be attended by African countries represented at the level of officials. In addition, African and non-African organizations involved in activities aimed at enhancing Africa's economic integration process and liberalizing air transport in Africa will also be invited to attend. These include: the AU, ADB, RECs, UNDP, World Bank, European Union, CODESRIA and AERC as well as African and international specialized organizations dealing with trade and regional integration issues.

V. Date and Venue

8. The Fourth Session of the Committee will be held from 24 to 25 March 2005 at ECA Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

VI. Information

6. All information relating to the meeting can be obtained from:

Mr. Sam Cho
Trade and Regional Integration Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
P.O.Box 3001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Telephone No. (251-1) 44 33 34
Fax No. (251-1) 51 30 38
Email: cho@un.org and scho@uneca.org

Mr. Conde Bashir
Trade and Regional Integration Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
P.O.Box 3001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Telephone No. (251-1) 44 32 23
Fax No. (251-1) 51 30 38
Email: cbashir@uneca.org