Regional workshop on mainstreaming regional integration at national level, 5 February 2013, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: opening remarks by Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division

Abstract

Opening Remarks by Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division at the Regional Workshop on Mainstreaming Regional Integration at National Level, 5 February 2013. Mr. Karingi, on his remarks highlighted that, African leaders had stressed the importance of regional integration and, as part of that, adopted a wide array of protocols and decisions to foster it, in the firm belief that many small African countries, especially in the context of the increasingly competitive globalized world, needed integration, larger markets and economic scales to promote investment, competition and unleash the hugely untapped potential of the continent. Currently the Africa region is confronted by an enormous challenge to develop faster and unleash its potential as the next global pole. The telecommunications sector across Africa is picking up thanks to the global ICT revolution, which has had a positive impact on Africa, with the private sector playing a leading role. The concept of energy power pooling is gaining momentum inspired by the successful experience of the Southern Africa Power Pool pioneered by SADC.