PDF (2.0 MB)

IntegratingAfricaSeventh Ordinary Session of theAssembly of the African UnionBanjul, The Gambia1 July 2006The theme you have chosen for this Summit, Rationalization andRegional Integration, is very important, timely and appropriate.The ultimate goal of continental integration is to allow Africancountries to merge their economies and pool their capacities, endowmentsand energies together for the development of the continent.If we are able to achieve this goal quickly, Africa can make greatstrides in its quest to achieve sustained and robust economic growthand poverty alleviation.We have made notable progress in our attempts to integrate overthe past 50 years, in particular, since the creation of the first RegionalEconomic Communities (RECs). The initial edition of ECA’s flagshippublication on regional integration, Assessing Regional Integrationin Africa (ARIA I), published in 2004, reports that some of the RECshave made significant progress in trade, communications, macroeconomicpolicy, and transport.However, the study also noted that significant gaps remain betweenthe achievements and expected goals. There are areas in which alot needs to be done, particularly in the promotion of intra-Africantrade, infrastructure, macroeconomic convergence, and economicdiversification. It still remains the case that transport costs in Africaare far too high. Also, we find that throughout the continent, manyroad, air and rail networks need substantial improvements. Addition-72 Part Two