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In the statements selected for this cluster, the Executive Secretarylooks at the progress that is being made on the integration agenda,and calls for a quickening of the pace at which measures are beingimplemented.In his speaking engagements, he advocates the need for a roadmapfor achieving full integration, with timelines for achieving specificgoals. He calls for consensus on the architecture of integration, theelimination of the key hurdles to regional integration and the identificationof readily implementable measures.In several of his addresses, he focuses on such issues as: trade; infrastructure;the Regional Economic Commissions (RECs); science, technologyand innovation (STI); capacity building; and the sub-regionaloffices (SROs).One of his key themes is the role of the RECs, which he considersto be pivotal in the integration process. He consistently advocatesthat the complex system of RECs, in which many countries belong tomore than one, has created a complex duplication of effort.In his appearances at meetings of the RECs, he celebrates theirachievements and explores ways of enhancing cooperation and collaborationbetween them and ECA, and assisting their programmesand objectives.With reference to STI, he advocates strengthening alliances for investmentat all levels that would assist African nations to build economiesthat are increasingly based on know-how. This, he believes,should be one of the strategies for poverty reduction and employmentgeneration, and would contribute to economic growth.Indeed, one of the most important planks of the Executive Secretary’sadvocacy is the deployment of knowledge, and he has paidunceasing attention to the Commission’s knowledge managementplatform as a powerful network linking ECA to the African Union networkand the RECs.As will be found in these statements, he holds the view that ECA’sbest accomplishment is the quality of its ideas, which arise from independentthinking, and have informed its recommendations, whichhave percolated policy-making in Africa.66 Part Two