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Strengtheningcollaborationwith ECOWASRetreat of ECOWAS Ministers ofFinance and Regional IntegrationOuagadougou, Burkina Faso1- 4 June 2007We have gathered in Ouagadougou today to take a critical reflectionon the performance of the Economic Community ofWest African States (ECOWAS) so as to chart the future path of thisgreat regional economic community. In order to have a meaningfuloutcome, the ECOWAS Commission has invited not only the Ministersof Regional Integration but also the Ministers of Finance who decideon how the monies of Member States should be disbursed. The decisionof bringing the two groups of Ministers together for consultationsis very commendable because it provides an avenue for bothgroups to consult and have a common understanding on the use ofregional integration as a strategy for the sustainable development ofthe sub-region.In order to have a meaningful outcome, the Commission has invitedus to focus the discussions at this forum on three main issues: thevision of ECOWAS, ECOWAS medium-term strategic plan for povertyreduction, and policy harmonisation.ECOWAS is one of the [most?] successful RECs on the continent. Unlikethe other RECs that cut across sub-regions and are therefore difficultto manage, ECOWAS covers only the West African sub-region.This puts it in an enviable and unique position to develop and pursuean integration agenda that would drive the African Union’s continentalintegration agenda. Despite the successes you have chalked and86 Part Two
eing seen as the most advanced REC on the continent, I stronglybelieve you can achieve more. This retreat is therefore appropriateand timely as it offers an opportunity to reflect on the challenges weface and in the end chart a roadmap, which would lead us to the fullintegration of the sub-region as well as strengthen our continentalintegration agenda.Against this background, we are being called upon to reflect on thevision of the community. It is my desire that a new vision for this subregionshould ensure that the fifteen economies in the sub-regionbecome one strong, robust, diversified and resilient economy, supportedby a first-class trans-boundary infrastructure; highly educated,flexible and mobile workforce; financial capital that is highly mobile;sound health facilities and peace and security. All of this must be underpinnedby the spirit of ownership and self-belief of national developmentpolicies, which gives sufficient policy space to Member Statesto design strategies that address their specific needs with a view ofending aid dependency over time.The imperative for regional integration in West Africa is particularlystrong due to the size, structure and low level of development of theeconomies of the sub-region. With the exception of Nigeria, most aresmall and non-diversified, with very little trading relations betweenthe countries. The fragmentation of the markets is therefore impedingindustrial development in the sub-region. That is why the marketsin the sub-region need to be integrated so that ECOWAS MemberStates can overcome constraints arising from their small domesticmarkets and reap the benefits of economies of scale, stronger competitionand increased domestic and foreign investment.Regional integration is also crucial for West Africa because the countriesof the sub-region face numerous common challenges that canbest be dealt with collectively. These problems include the marginalisationof the region in the global economy, weak infrastructure,weak performance in macroeconomic policies as well as regionalcommons such as the environment and natural resources utilisation.In addition, fourteen of the fifteen countries of the sub-regionare classified among the low-income countries in the world. Waterresources from important rivers such as the Niger, the Senegal andthe Gambia are common resources to many countries and thereforeneed to be managed in a collective and concerted manner so asIntegrating Africa87
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Abdoulie JannehIntegrating AfricaEc
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forewordBy Jean Ping, Chairperson o
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global forums including climate cha
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IntroductionOn account of the weigh
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Strengtheningpeace andsecurity fort
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their GDP to research and developme
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Achieving theMillenniumDevelopment
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national agreed development goals,
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The suspension of the Doha Round of
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and statutory matters that we have
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We have also promoted the establish
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As Africa’s leading development f
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African States but also of interest
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into poverty reduction strategies.
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KeepingAfrica’s improvedeconomicp
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Another matter of immediate concern
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the leadership of the continent thr
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Workingcollectively toachieve Afric
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tematically develop the value chain
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Page 59 and 60: While Africa has chalked some miles
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Page 63 and 64: necessary technological and organis
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Page 67 and 68: Other examples of ECA activities in
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Page 79 and 80: IntroductionRegional integration, a
Page 81 and 82: He stresses that in order to collec
Page 83 and 84: As we know, Africa’s recent good
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Page 87 and 88: ally, existing non-tariff barriers
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Page 91 and 92: the recommendations made at the mee
Page 93 and 94: ing will therefore be deliberating
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Page 111 and 112: On thecapacity needsof the Regional
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Page 115 and 116: aims of this Free Trade Area as wel
Page 117 and 118: Using goodgovernance topromoteregio
Page 119 and 120: a good track record of governance a
Page 121 and 122: tary, the shared commitment of its
Page 123 and 124: Deepening regionalintegrationto sus
Page 125 and 126: Next, I would posit that more trans
Page 127 and 128: TransformingAfrica into adestinatio
Page 129 and 130: including through adoption of democ
Page 131 and 132: The United Nations system remains c
Page 133 and 134: ates. Macroeconomic imbalances in s
Page 135 and 136: Trade as thebedrock ofAfrica’s ec
Page 137 and 138: est. LDC governments need to not on
Page 139 and 140: Reviewingprogress inregionalintegra
Page 141 and 142: for integration arrangements. The h
Page 143 and 144: NEPAD’scontributions tothe MDGsPa
Page 145 and 146: negative impact of these crises and
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IntroductionIf there is one subject
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Forging aseamlesspartnershipwith th
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serve this continent. ECA has a wel
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At the 2005 World Summit on the Inf
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creating a vicious cycle that enabl
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Partnershiparound theAfrican TradeP
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ECA hopes that this Partnership Rou
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The drying up of these important so
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ing for Development, which focused
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Deepeningstakeholderdialogue on the
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In the particular case of Africa, I
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Today, it is widely acknowledged th
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and promote the governance agenda i
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cial crisis and there were concerns
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We will have the opportunity to del
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the Economic Commission for Africa,
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financial crisis. Growth in Africa
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and transportation. Of course, give
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stakes in global economic processes
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Enhancingcapacities fordevelopmentr
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Activating the UNten-year capacityb
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PartFourON THE FINANCIAL CRISIS
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The statements in this cluster refl
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source flows to the region as well
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ican Union Commission and African D
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ImplementingMonterreyConsensus at a
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our society. This will require incr
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ment assistance and remittances. To
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Doha with a clear position on these
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esilience to deal with future econo
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Involvingprivate sectorin domesticr
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greater collaboration by all countr
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Permit me to address our overarchin
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in articulating responses to the fi
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ility in the face of severe economi
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All hands must similarly be on deck
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IntroductionAfrica has a large vari
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In yet another, he says to the part
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such as floods, droughts, hurricane
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It also shows that vulnerability is
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Addressing theimpact ofclimate chan
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In addition to these main threats,
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for transfer and scaling up phases
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the challenges of ensuring justice,
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Both ClimDev-Africa and ACPC have r
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straints; expanding range and preva
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enable African countries that are t
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Facing theclimate changeand securit
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y grazing animals. In Turkana, nort
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Taking action ongender equality,wom
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As this Forum demonstrates, ECA con
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heartening. This is evidence of the
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The countries represented here have
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• The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao
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Strengthening R&D is one of such ou
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ECA continues to support countries
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mation in Africa, we will provide s
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Powering Africawith ICT andentrepre
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Indeed, I see a potential link betw
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Many factors, such as the transform
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land. These systems are however und
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We must also bear in mind that the
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Achieving better UNcoherence insupp
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These are just few practical sugges
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the lack of a model in other parts
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Involvingthe youthin Africa’sdeve
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of Africa’s young to other corner
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I was very encouraged by the interv
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Using knowledgeand peer learningto
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There is perhaps another answer, no
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ECA, based on information distilled
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Good governancefor achieving theMDG
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This, in the context of our theme,
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• Fourthly, and most importantly
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We have made some worthwhile progre
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There are other questions, of cours
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making progress towards the targets
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The second category of challenges r
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civil unrest. The new UN Peacebuild
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There is abundant evidence that mos
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For our part, let me assure you of
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gress has been at the expense of th
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The role oflegislation and policyde
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No individual is to blame but colle
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tional Year of the Youth 2010-2011
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that will lead to tangible results,
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ments - to the extent possible - sh
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Similarly, across the globe, we con
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Exploringhydropower forsustainabled
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of hydropower resources are in the
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Green growthand sustainabledevelopm
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There are also legitimate concerns
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Let me end by reiterating ECA’s c
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