Decision on the Moratorium on the Recognition of Regional Economic Communities (Recs) Doc. Ex.CL/278 (IX)

DECISION ON THE MORATORIUM ON THE RECOGNITION OF
REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES (RECs)
DOC. EX.CL/278 (IX)

The Assembly:

1. TAKES NOTE of the recommendations of the First Conference of African Ministers in charge of Integration held from 30 to 31 March 2006, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on the Rationalization of Regional Economic Communities (RECs);

2. REQUESTS Member States, RECs and the United Nations System, as well as development partners to collaborate closely with the Commission in conducting the rationalization process;

3. DECIDES to suspend, until further notice, the recognition of new RECs with the exception of the following eight (8):

1. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS);

2. Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA);

3. Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS);

4. Southern African Development Community (SADC);

5. Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD);

6. Arab Maghreb Union (AMU);

7. Economic Community of Sahelo-Saharian States (CEN- SAD); and

8. East African Community (EAC);

4. URGES the above-mentioned RECs to coordinate and harmonize their policies among themselves and with the Commission with a view to accelerating Africa’s integration process.