Economic integration: ECCAS defines its projects for the next five years

Gabonese President Ali Bongo in the midst of the heads of state and government present at the ECCAS summit in Libreville, December 18, 2019. (Illustrative image) Steve JORDAN / AFP

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3 min

Six out of eleven heads of state attended a summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on November 27 in Libreville, Gabon.

This first face-to-face meeting since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic was devoted to accelerating regional integration in this region which is very rich in raw materials but which also happens to be the least integrated and least developed on the continent.

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With our correspondent in Libreville,

Yves-Laurent Goma

Around Gabonese President Ali Bongo were Idriss Déby from Chad, Denis Sassou Nguesso from the Congo, João Lourenço from Angola, Faustin Archange Touadéra from the Central African Republic and Évariste Ndayishimiye from Burundi, all of whom came to appreciate the reforms undertaken to boost ECCAS, the Economic Community of Central African States.

After Ali Bongo, the Congolese president, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, will have to assume the rotating presidency of the institution.

The latter has been completely renovated.

Its priorities for the next five years are now the construction of interstate roads, the realization of the common market and the free movement of people and goods.

Security in the region is the other priority.

Armed conflicts have delayed the development of states and blocked regional integration, recognizes the ECCAS commission.

I would like to sincerely thank all those who have worked to bring the process of institutional reform to our community organization to a successful conclusion.

#PassationDesCharges #SommetGabon #XVIIIemeSessionOrdinaire #CeeacGabon pic.twitter.com/l0P3lvX6HO

- Ali Bongo Ondimba (@PresidentABO) November 27, 2020

In Libreville, for example, the heads of state adopted a declaration on the security situation in the Central African Republic.

" 

Let us reiterate our appeal to the United Nations Security Council for the lifting of the arms embargo against the Central African Republic to allow this country to have the necessary means for the overhaul of its defense forces and security

, said Pacôme Moubelet Boubeya, Gabonese Minister of Foreign Affairs

.

Let us decide on the appointment of a mediator in the Central African crisis.

"

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Also to listen: ECCAS: Africa hopes to find 20 billion dollars for its infrastructures

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  • Gabon

  • ECCAS

  • Economy

  • Ali Bongo Ondimba

  • Denis Sassou-Nguesso

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