Ministerial statement: Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development

Abstract

The fifty-first session of the Economic Commission for Africa conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economic development was held at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the theme “African continental free trade area: fiscal space for jobs and economic diversification” and cognizant that, with the signing of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area by 44 states members of the African Union, the continent has laid the foundation for a new phase of African integration. The ministerial statement reaffirms the commitment to regional integration as a major driving force behind inclusive economic development in Africa, and welcome the new milestone reached in African integration through the signing of the agreement establishing the African continental free trade area in Kigali. And the ministerial statement welcomes the launch of the single African air transport market in January 2018, which has the potential to improve the efficiency of continental air transport and to contribute to the growth of the continent’s global share of the aviation and tourism industry, and encourage all member States to join this initiative.