Africa: AU Eyes Single Government


Arusha

The African Union has set several accelerators and benchmarks which should be implemented in the process towards the Union government.

They were endorsed by the recent mini-Summit of the AU heads of state here chaired by President Jakaya Kikwete, the current chairperson of the continental body.


The accelerators include the free movement of people across the borders as contained in both the Abuja Treaty and the Constitutive Act.

Others are the development of trans-continental and inter-regional infrastructure and establishment of multi-national African firms and financial institutions.

Those proposed include the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank, President Kikwete explained.

The benchmarks set were strengthening of the regional economic communities (RECs) and fast-tracking the move towards an African Common Market and the African Economic Community.

"There is a need to encourage RECs to achieve regional integration on the basis of variable geometry.

"For example, RECs could be required to achieve Customs' Unions within specified and agreed timeframes" he said at the end of the two day summit.

The summit was attended by four other heads of state apart from President Kikwete, Others were President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Nigeria's Umar Yardua, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi.

The other countries, who together with Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria,South Africa and Ethiopia, make up AU's Committee of Twelve, were represented by their respective foreign ministers or other senior officials.

These are Gabon, Ghana, Egypt, Libya, Botswana, Senegal and Cameroon.

President Kikwete said there was need to rationalise RECs in Africa, which include bodies like the East African Community, SADC and others as well as harmonise their activities.

"In this regard, there should be an audit on their integration agendas. The Protocol on relations between AU and RECs should be implemented," he added.

AU Executive Council (made up of Foreign Affairs ministers) which met here early this month endorsed on wide-ranging proposals to fast track political and economic integration of the continent.

These are poverty reduction strategies, free movement of persons, goods and services and integration of the continental transport and communication infrastructure.

Relevant Links

East Africa
International Organizations and Africa
Tanzania



Also stressed for attention of the policy makers are environmental problems, epidemics and pandemics sucha as HIV/Aids and establishment of research/academic centres of excellence.

Others are international trade negotiations, peace and security matters and trans-national crime which include terrorism, drug and arms traficking.

All recommendations made at the mini-Summit, including the proposed Union government, would be presented before the Ordinary AU Heads of State Summit at Sharm el Sheikh resort city in Egypt next July.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200805260821.html

Anyone with a inch of logic skills could see where all this is heading. For one the EU, African union and South American union. You can do the math and see that the chances are good that they are planning one for us to.