Delegates debate scoring countries on regional integration

Abstract

Mr. Rene Kouassi, Director of Economic Affairs, African Union Commission has urged experts this week to advance regional integration goals and move from ' intergovernmentalism to supernaturalism and from corporation to integration.' Mr Kouassi was speaking to the Committee of Experts of the Seventh Joint Annual Meetings of the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance this week in one of key sessions aimed at a final report to be presented at a ministerial segment starting Saturday. He said that the major obstacle to making this transition was what he termed as “attachment to sovereignty.” In the discussions that followed, delegates suggested the need for evaluative criteria around integration, such as a 'score card' that could be regularly disseminated. Delegates from several countries cited lack of political will as the greatest obstacle to integration, with the delegate from Sudan acknowledging that “losing sovereignty frightens many people.” Delegates suggested touting the advantages of integration more clearly and more vocally, and using the “scorecard” to hold countries accountable.