Some institutional aspects of African economic co-operation

Abstract

ECA's terms of reference urge it, inter alia, to "initiate and participate in measures for facilitating concerted action for the economic development of Africa .., for maintaining and strengthening economic relations of countries and territories of Africa ... among themselves", and in this connexion, to assist "in the formulation and development of co-ordinated policies" for its member States. Accordingly, the Commission's very first session laid stress on co-operative action among the African countries in practically all economic sectors. In" particular, the first resolution of the Commission called upon it to establish liaison with existing African inter—governmental organizations working in the field of economic and social development. This has, in practice, meant pursuing a strategy of concerted action, not only by all the States members of the Commission, but also on a limited scale, no matter how small the geographic area, or how few the number of countries involved.