The article that I propose to you today concerns the news of Nairobi, Kenya. Indeed, on July 16, 2023, the Kenyan capital hosted the 5th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, bringing together African leaders to discuss continental integration in Africa and progress on the African integration agenda. African Union (AU).
This meeting was marked by the presence of many important leaders, such as the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the President of the Republic of Kenya, William Ruto, and the United Nations Under-Secretary General, Amina J. Mohammad. The President of the Union of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani, as current AU Chairperson, also delivered an opening speech.
One of the key agenda items of the meeting was the state of continental integration in Africa. Moussa Faki Mahamat presented a detailed report on the progress made so far as well as the remaining challenges. Mahamadou Issoufou, AU Champion for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), also reported on the latest developments regarding the implementation of the AfCFTA, which is a key element of economic integration in Africa.
The presidents of the various Regional Economic Communities (RECs) also shared their perspectives on the state of regional integration in their respective regions. Among the speaking leaders were the President of the Republic of Chad and current President of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), Mahamat Idriss Deby, the President of the Republic of Zambia and current President of the Common Market of Africa East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Burundi and current President of the East African Community (EAC), Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Gabonese Republic and current President of the Economic Community of Eastern Central Africa (ECCAS), Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and current President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Republic of Djibouti and current President of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ismail Omar Guelleh, and President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and current President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
The division of labor between Member States, RECs and the AU was also discussed during this meeting. A comprehensive report on the division of labor was presented, highlighting the progress made as well as the measures taken to improve coordination and cooperation between the different entities.
Another important point of the meeting was the highlighting of the successes of the AU and the RECs in the field of integration. Leaders presented case studies of successful initiatives aimed at consolidating regional and continental integration, highlighting best practices and lessons learned. Interventions were made by leaders such as the President of the Republic of Gabon and current President of ECCAS, Ali Bongo Ondimba, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and current President of ECOWAS, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the President of the Republic of Djibouti and current President of IGAD, Ismail Omar Guelleh.
The environment, climate change and the blue economy in Africa were also at the center of the discussions. The leaders exchanged on the challenges and perspectives related to these areas and shared initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable and resilient development. The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and current President of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, was one of the speakers during this session.
Finally, the meeting addressed the issue of the Ukraine-Russia peacekeeping mission. The President of the Union of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, and the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, shared recent developments regarding this peace mission and stressed the importance of stability in the region .
This mid-year African Union coordination meeting in Nairobi provided an opportunity for African leaders to discuss and share their perspectives on continental integration in Africa. It was marked by in-depth discussions on the state of integration, successful initiatives, division of labour, and environmental and economic challenges