Commitment and sacrifice required to deliver programme on infrastructure development in Africa says Kargbo

Abstract

Member states and regional integration experts have been urged to “put all hands on deck to achieve the continental free trade project that will transform Africa into a single economic and market space.” Ms. Jennifer Kargbo, Deputy Executive Secretary, of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) made this remark during the official opening of the 7th Session of the Committee on Trade, Regional Cooperation and Integration. The Addis Ababa meeting is expected to conclude on 5 June with recommendations that, according to ECA’s Information and Communication Service, will “accelerate the establishment of a continental free trade area in order to achieve an African Common Market” 5 June 2011. Ms. Kargbo said in a speech delivered on behalf of the ECA Executive Secretary and UN Under-Secretary-General Mr. Abdoulie Janneh that Africa’s collective GDP is over one trillion dollars, which is comparable to Brazil and India. “The significance of this is that the economic integration of Africa will enable a larger trading and investment area which will fast-track economic growth and enable it to have a greater say in global economic processes.”