DECISION ON THE SIXTH CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN
MINISTERS IN CHARGE OF INTEGRATION (COMAI VI)
Doc. EX.CL/809(XXIV)
The Executive Council,
1 TAKES NOTE of the report and declaration of the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Conference of African Ministers in charge of Integration held in Balaclava Fort, Mauritius, from 18 to 19 April 2013 and ENDORSES the recommendations contained therein;
2 CALLS UPON Member States to develop and promote a new form and spirit of Pan-Africanism to address current global challenges by incorporating practical measures to maximize the benefits to the continent and achieve emancipation of its development and consolidate its economic transformation;
3 INVITES Member States to put in place national forums to discuss issues of integration with the various stakeholders, including, private sector, media, women and youth associations, and civil society;
4 URGES Member States to act together to domesticate regional and continental decisions in line with the Constitutive Act and the Abuja Treaty;
5 REQUESTS the Commission to undertake the following actions:
i) to establish an integration observatory and develop a harmonized framework to scientifically assess the implementation of the integration process, using integration indicators and Common Benchmarks of evaluation and assessment, based on the African Agenda 2063 when approved;
ii) to organize an integration forum as a platform for public private dialogue on integration matters and help foster accelerated implementation and responsive policy making;
iii) to undertake a study on the integration needs of island and landlocked countries with a view to developing a special assistance programme to accelerate their integration.
6 TAKES NOTE of the proposal to establish an integration observatory and integration Forum and CALLS ON the Commission to undertake an assessment of the financial, structural and legal implications thereof;
7 REQUESTS the Commission, in collaboration with the RECs, Member States and relevant partners, to convene a consultative meeting on the “Blue Economy”.