Proposals for a regional plan for the implementation of the Abuja treaty establishing the African Economic Community

Abstract

This paper concentrates on the operationalization of the Treaty's first and second stages (Article 6): The first stage aims at the "strengthening of existing sub-regional economic communities and the completion of the setting up of sub-regional economic communities where they do not exist "within period not exceeding five years from the date of entry into force of this Treaty. The goals of the second stage are (i) to stabilize then begin to reduce, at the sub-regional community level, internal and intra-AEC tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers and to harmonize customs duties to non-AEC states; (ii) to strengthen sectoral integration at the sub-regional and continental levels, especially, in priority areas such as agriculture, transport and communications, energy, money and finance, and industry; and (iii) to coordinate and harmonize economic policies and development activities among members of sub-regional communities. This stage is envisaged to span period not exceeding eight years.