Luanda: Angola on Friday called for renewed reflection on the free movement of people and goods in Central Africa as part of efforts to strengthen regional integration. The position was expressed by Foreign Minister T©te Ant³nio during the opening of the retreat of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Economic Community of Central African States (COREP-ECCAS).
According to Angola Press News Agency, T©te Ant³nio emphasized that strengthening the capacities of ECCAS institutions, particularly COREP, was essential for greater ownership of regional issues and constituted a collective responsibility of member states. He declared, "In this way, we will be able to build an increasingly stronger and more effective ECCAS."
The minister cited President Joo Louren§o, who has articulated that "regional integration is a strategic investment in the stability, sovereignty, and collective prosperity of our states." In this context, Ant³nio advocated for African solutions to the region's challenges, highlighting the unification of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) within the framework of ECCAS.
Among the priority areas identified were trade, health, the free movement of people and goods, financing mechanisms for integration, security, and budgetary and monetary regulation. The minister also urged participants to use the retreat as an opportunity to reflect on the solutions that ECCAS should prioritize and implement to support the organization's executive bodies.
COREP, as one of the institutions within the ECCAS governance framework, brings together ambassadors of member states accredited to the Commission of the organization. The permanent representatives contribute to the preparation of the work of the Community's decision-making bodies, monitor matters of regional interest, and ensure dialogue between member states and the ECCAS Commission.
The retreat is being held under the theme "Strengthening COREP's performance in the service of regional integration: institutional capacities, ownership of the ECCAS strategic vision and promotion of the Community in the Republic of Angola and other member states."
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) was established in December 1981 in Libreville, Gabon, with the objective of promoting economic cooperation, sustainable development, and regional integration among Central African countries. The organization became operational in 1985 and currently comprises 11 member states: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, So Tom© and Prncipe, and Rwanda. Its principal objectives include strengthening economic and trade integration, reducing barriers to the movement of goods and services, and promoting peace, stability, and security across the region.
