Malabo: Angola's participation in the biannual coordination meeting of the African Union (AU), regional economic communities (RECs), and regional mechanisms (RMs) is taking on a new dimension this time as the nation assumes a pivotal leadership role. Angolan President Joo Louren§o, due to his rotating AU leadership, will chair the seventh AU/REC/RM Six-Monthly Coordination Meeting, marking a significant shift from his previous, less prominent roles.
According to Angola Press News Agency, during the sixth biannual session held in Accra, Ghana, last July, as the president of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), President Louren§o emphasized the importance of continued commitment to addressing existing challenges and advancing the continental integration agenda. He highlighted the obstacles that hinder integration, affecting the continent's stability, progress, and development.
Regional integration has been a recurring theme in past meetings, with Louren§o ensuring SADC's dedication to eliminating barriers for the free movement of people, goods, services, technology, and capital. He stressed that integration is crucial for expanding markets and benefiting African populations.
The upcoming meeting, led by Angola, will address approximately ten agenda items, with a significant focus on the State of Regional and Continental Integration. ANGOP reports that disparities among RECs, delays in ratifying protocols, weak policy convergence, and unequal access to infrastructure and services limit member states' potential benefits from regional integration progress.
External challenges, including protectionist trade policies, global geo-economic tensions, and weakening multilateralism, pose further threats to Africa's integration into global value chains, issues that will also be discussed.
The meeting will focus on political and economic pillars, human and social issues, and infrastructure, aiming to drive continental integration and achieve the aspirations of Agenda 2063, known as 'The Africa We Want.' In the political sphere, institutional and security consolidation is advancing, with successful RECs establishing regional parliaments, courts of justice, and active peace and security mechanisms.
Economically, free trade regimes have strengthened intra-regional trade, but macroeconomic integration remains fragmented due to persistent national policies. In the human and social domain, improvements are needed in qualification recognition systems, mobility facilitation, and regional social and educational programs.
Regarding infrastructure, the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) suffers from poor coordination and limited funding. President Louren§o highlighted at a recent conference in Seville that Africa's development hinges on solid infrastructure, with electricity, transportation, roads, telecommunications, and IT being critical areas.
To address these needs, the AU plans a major conference in Angola this October, focusing on 'Infrastructure as a Factor for Development in Africa,' aiming to mobilize investment resources.
The Malabo Summit will feature speeches by AU President Joo Louren§o, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, and AU Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. Topics include geopolitical developments, AU Commission progress, policy coordination, conflict prevention, and labor division.
The summit offers a platform for African leaders to align with President Louren§o's Africa Day message, emphasizing Africa's ambition to be a strategic actor offering solutions for itself and the world.
