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Regional integration vital for Africa`s stability, says EU envoy
2008-07-19 09:16:07
By Patrick Kisembo
Regional integration is the only way for Africa to gain prosperity and stability in its economic development, European Union Commissioner Louis Michel has said.
Speaking at a conference on accelerating regional integration of Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean countries in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, the EU envoy attributed Africa`s failure to benefit from modernisation to a number of hurdles including high population increase.
``Trade and regional integration is the main tool for sustainable development. The history of Europe and the way it got its economic power is a fine example, but I am not saying that you should follow their way,`` he said.
Michel said the ongoing conflicts in Africa had affected the populations of the countries involved.
``Economic development in regional integration can contribute greatly to peace and stability. It is a tool for economic growth and is for the benefit of African consumers,`` he said.
Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Mustafa Mkulo, who graced the conference, said optimal positive outcomes could only be realised if the process of integration was properly carried out and owned by the ountries involved.
``There must be a balanced score card,`` he stressed.
The minister said deliberations on integration should recognise peculiarities and differences.
``Africa and ACP countries are by no means a homogeneous group, whether viewed in geographical or economic terms,`` he said.
He said there was widespread agreement on significant commonalities that defined them as a group of developing countries, with poverty reduction being a predominant objective in their development strategies.
The minister said since 1975, ACP countries under the Lome Convention had, in theory, enjoyed EU market access.
``But in practice, this privilege of market access to the EU has delivered very little economic results,`` he said.
``Over the years the market share of products from the ACP countries to the EU has been declining. The ACP has lost the market share to non-ACP countries,`` Mkulo.
He said ACP countries had failed to produce goods and services which met the EU market standards.
``To benefit from regional integration, economies of these countries should be able to produce goods and services and trade efficiently and competitively in both domestic and export markets,``he said.
The meeting brought together members from Eastern and Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Region, that is the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
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