At the end of the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in Nairobi, Kenya, here is the draft declaration by the Head of State and Government which represented the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union and Chairpersons of the Eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as Regional Mechanisms (RMs).

Please read the full text below:

WE, the Heads of State and Government, representing the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union and Chairpersons of the Eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as well as Regional Mechanisms (RMs), meeting in Nairobi, Kenya on 16th July 2023 on the occasion of the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, chaired by H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of Comoros of and the Chairperson of the African Union;

RECALLING the outcomes of the four previous Mid-Year Coordination Meetings, latest of which declaration on 17 July 2022 in Lusaka contained in document MYCM/AU/Draft/Decl.(IV)Rev.4;

UNDERSCORING the need to promote cooperation in all fields of human endeavour in order to raise the standard of living of African peoples, and maintain and enhance economic stability, foster close and peaceful relations among Member States and contribute to the progress, development and the economic integration of the Continent; UNDERLINING the importance of the harmonization of national and regional policies inorder to promote socio-economic development across the continent;

RECOGNIZING that the promotion of intra-African trade remains a fundamental factor for sustainable economic development, employment generation and effective integration of Africa into the global economy,

REITERATING that the implementation of the Protocol on Relations between the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities places the responsibility for both the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities to guarantee that the continent is integrated in the most economic and effective way possible, and that Africa’s integration process is hastened in order for Africa to tackle the challenges caused by globalization;

HEREBY DECLARE THAT WE:

STATUS OF INTEGRATION

1. TAKE NOTE of the Report of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on the Continental Integration in Africa and Reports of the Chairs of Regional Economic Communities on the state of Regional Integration;

2. ENCOURAGE Member States to provide E-visa facilitation for Africans to boost all modes of connectivity and tourism in view of their enormous contributions to socio-economic growth;

3. URGE the AUC in collaboration with UNECA, RECs and AU relevant institutions to develop a single comprehensive and harmonized approach and a unique index of assessing African integration that leverages on the strengths of existing indexes at AUC(AMRII) and UNECA(ARII). The Unified Index should be aligned on the objectives of the Abuja Treaty (AEC) and Agenda 2063;

4. ADOPT the principle of producing the Africa Integration Report every two years to enable adequate time to prepare a comprehensive report and ensure accuracy of the data through proper quality assurance process;

5. CALL UPON the AUC, RECs, AUDA-NEPAD, AfCFTA, Regional Mechanisms and Member States to enhance domestic resource mobilization and stem illicit financial flows to secure quality and quantity financial resources to sustainably ensure implementation of its integration agenda;

6. RECOMMEND the creation of a budget line in the regular AU budget for the sustainable funding of the implementation of the Protocol on Relations between the AU and RECs;

7. URGE Member States to take leadership in its destiny through sustainable financing of regional and continental peace processes through optimal mobilization of domestic resources;

8. WELCOME the initiative of establishing the INCENTIVE FACILITY to deepen integration;

9. RECOMMEND the establishment of Pan African Stock Exchange and African Monetary Institute considering existing similar institutions at the regional level;

AFCFTA

10. TAKE NOTE the report by the champion on the AfCFTA H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, former President of the Republic of Niger and RECOMMEND for consideration the recommendations contained in the report;

11. WELCOME the excellent developments of operationalization of the AfCFTA Adjustment Facility, Payment an settlement System and Guided Trade Initiative and urge the AfCFTA to scale them up in all African regions;

12. DECIDE to champion the ratification of the Protocol on free movement of persons to support the effective implementation of AfCFTA agenda;

DIVISION OF LABOUR BETWEEN THE AFRICAN UNION, REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES/REGIONAL MECHANISMS AND MEMBER STATES

13. TAKE NOTE of the report on the Division of Labour between the African Union, Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms and Member States;

14. URGE the AUC to convene the meeting of the Coordination Committee before the end of 2023 to finalize the proposal of division of labor to be submitted to the next Assembly through PRC and Executive Council on the following sectors, Economic Development, Integration, Investment and Industry; Agriculture, Food Security, Blue Economy and Environment; Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development and Transport, Energy and Infrastructure.

AU-RECs and Inter-RECs success story on the integration agenda

15. COMMEND the Reports of their Excellencies:
• H.E Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Chairperson of the AUDA-NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) on the AUDA-NEPAD success story in the consolidation of regional and continental integration and achieving Agenda 2063 and ENDORSE the recommendations contained therein;
• H.E Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon and the Chairperson of ECCAS on Inter-RECs Cooperation Initiative: ECCAS and ECOWAS Maritime Security Cooperation and ENDORSE recommendations contained therein;
• H.E Ismail Omar Guelleh the President of the Republic of Djibouti and the Chairperson of IGAD on an AU-REC Success Story: The Perspective of IGAD on the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in Ethiopia and ENDORSE recommendations contained therein;

• AU Inter-Regional Knowledge Exchange (I-RECKE) on Early Warning

16. WELCOME the report of the Second Policy Session of the AU Inter-Regional Knowledge Exchange (I-RECKE) on Early Warning and Conflict Prevention and the activities of the I-RECKE since its establishment in July 2022; and COMMEND the RECs/RMs as members of the I-RECKE platform for the progress made in enhancing cross-regional strategies on prevention of terrorism and violent extremism, contributing to best practices for the implementation of the AU flagship project “Silencing the Guns in Africa”;

17. UNDERSCORE the critical role of the I-RECKE as a strategic platform to enhance the AU Continental Early Warning System; in this regard, CALL ON the Member States and partners to support I-RECKE activities to augment the coordination and cooperation among the RECs/RMs and with the Members States, AU Commission, towards regional integration in the peace and security domain;

18. WELCOME the launch of the Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions (AFSIT), a collaborative initiative by the African Union Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at providing integrated programmatic support to African countries undergoing complex political transitions; WHILE STRESSING the role of the I-RECKE in ensuring the full implementation of the AFSIT;

19. REQUEST the I-RECKE, as an intra-continental platform, to continue to intensify its efforts towards improving cross-regional best practices on early warning, conflict prevention, resilience and peace building between the AU, RECs/RMs and LOOK FORWARD to the next report of the I-RECKE at the 6th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting.

Environment, Climate Change and Blue Economy

20. TAKE NOTE of the report of the H.E Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Chairperson of the AUDA-NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) and ENDORSE recommendations contained in the report.

21. ALSO TAKE NOTE of the Report of H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of Comoros of and the Chairperson of the African Union; and ENDORSE recommendations contained in the report

22. FURTHER TAKE NOTE of the Report of H.E William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change, and ENDORSE recommendations contained in the report.Ukraine-Russia mediation

23. TAKE NOTE of the report of the H Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa on Ukraine-Russia mediation and ENDORSE recommendations contained in the report.
AfDB Continental Initiatives

24. TAKE NOTE of the Report of H.E Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina President of the African Development Bank on the AfDB’s key continental initiatives and express our appreciation of work done by the AfDB to enhance development on the continent.
WE, the Heads of State and Government, representing the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union and Chairpersons of the Eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and as well as Regional Mechanisms (RMs), having successfully concluded our meeting, SEIZE this opportunity to commend the Government and the People of the Republic of Kenya for successfully hosting the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting and EXPRESS appreciation for the hospitality accorded therein.