ARIA II Peer Review Calls for Strong, Achievable Recommendations
05 October 2005

The second edition of the Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA) serial publication assessing regional integration in Africa (ARIA), moved a step closer to completion last week when an external peer review of the draft took place. The review recommended that the report should adopt strong and unambiguous language in advising African heads of state on the best way to rationalize Regional Economic Communities. Outgoing ECA Executive Secretary Mr K.Y. Amoako and former African Development Bank president, Mr Babacar Ndiaye, attended the meeting among others.

Chapters in the report include the imperative of regional integration to Africa’s development; Institutions and regional integration in Africa; the case for rationalization of Regional Economic Communities; and actions required at the regional and national levels for rationalization. The report then makes recommendations on the best way for rationalizing Africa’s regional economic communities.

The peer reviewers welcomed the report and noted that sound institutions are critical for the successful implementation of regional integration. The meeting called for strong, defensible and achievable recommendations that will strengthen RECs and enable them to fulfill the role of advancing regional integration in Africa. The report was well received by the reviewers, who described it as critical and necessary. A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the main recommendations is attached.