Aide-Memoire
Third Session of the Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
30-31 October 2003
I. Background
1. By its resolution 826(XXXII) adopted on 8 May 1997, the ECA Conference of Ministers established the Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration 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). 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 policy making 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. The first session of the Committee was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 27 to 29 April 1999. The second session also took place in Addis Ababa on 3rd March 2002.
II. Objectives of the Meeting
2. The Committee will meet to consider matters pertaining to ECA's activities in support of the economic integration process in Africa. In this regard, the Committee will review three reports prepared by ECA concerning 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 in accordance with the work programme of Trade and Regional Iintegration Division (TRID) approved for the period 2002-2003. The meeting can also be 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.
III. Topics to be discussed
3. The third session of the Committee will consider mainly reports prepared by ECA on the following issues:
i) Status of regional integration in Africa: progress, problems and perspectives.
The Committee will consider a brief report assessing issues related to institutional arrangements for integration, in terms of progress made, key constraints affecting them and measures to strengthen those institutional arrangements as well as those related to trade liberalization, policy convergence and labor mobility, and integration efforts in sectors.ii) Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision on air transport.
The report assesses steps taken by Member States towards the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Declaration through elimination of all the non- physical barriers relating to the granting of traffic rights, the capacity of aircraft run by African airlines, tariff regulation, the designation by States of operational arrangements and air freight operations.iii) Air transport liberalization in Africa: issues and prospects.
The report gives an analysis of the current situation of the air transport liberalization in Africa in terms of progress achieved, problems encountered and perspectives since the adoption in 1999 of the Yamoussoukro Declaration on market access for air transport in Africa and the worldwide liberalization process of air transport by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICOA) in March 2003.
IV. Participation
5. The meeting will be attended by African countries represented at the level of officials. Besides, 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, and AERC as well as African and international specialized organizations dealing with air transport issues.
V. Date and Venue
6. The Thrid Session of the Committee will be held from 29 to 30 October 2003 at ECA Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
VI. Information
7. All information relating to the meeting can be obtained at the following address:
Mr. Hakim Ben Hamouda, Director
Trade and Regional Integration Division
UNECA P.O.Box 3001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Telephone No. (251-1) 51 66 29
Fax No. (251-1) 51 30 38)
Email: hbenhammouda@uneca.orgMahamat Abdoulahi
Trade and Regional Integration Division
UNECA P.O.Box 3001
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Telephone No. (251-1) 44 52 11
Fax No. (251-1) 51 30 38)
Email: amahamat@uneca.org