Economic integration under the African Union

Background

As the EU and Africa prepared in 2017 to redefine their priorities for cooperation the fifth African Union - European Union (AU-EU) summit was scheduled to take place on the 29-30 November 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

The summit was due to focus on the need to invest in youth. The issue had become prominent against the background of demographic growth in Africa and increasing irregular migration from the continent to Europe.

In this context the European Parliamentary Research Service published in November 2017 a number of background information guides on aspects of EU-Africa relations and the work of the African Union:

+ New priorities for EU–Africa cooperation
+ The African Union: Defending peace, democracy and human rights
+ Economic integration under the African Union
+ Actions of the African Union against coups d'état
+ Empowering Africa's youth: The new focus of EU-Africa cooperation
+ ACP-EU relations and the Joint Africa-EU strategy
+ The Pan-African Parliament: getting ready for the 2017 AU-EU Summit
+ ACP-EU relations and the Joint Africa-EU strategy
+ The EU and Africa [What Think Tanks are thinking]A report which looks at the economic policy priorities of the African Union in 2017.

Although it tends to prioritise political objectives, the African Union (AU) pursues a no less ambitious project for economic integration with the ultimate goal of creating a common market and a monetary and economic union.

In 2017, the main responsibility for driving economic integration forward is carried by the regional economic communities, which are overseen and coordinated by the AU. However, the pace of progress is very uneven. In addition, the AU has developed its own programmes for promoting the continent's economic development.

Author: Ionel Zamfir