A National Policy Dialogue to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Day is underway in Accra.
The two-day meeting, which is being organized by the Centre for Regional Integration in Africa (CRIA)), is on the theme: "Bringing West African Integration Home for National Development".
About 200 stakeholders engaged in or affected by regional processes, through the public sector, private sector, civil society and the media are attending the meeting which is intended to build the confidence of participants and produce increased stakeholder interest and commitment to implement the ECOWAS Agenda at the national level.
Delivering the key note address at the opening of the conference, yesterday, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, noted that West African integration was in the economic interest of Ghana and her enterprises.
President Akufo-Addo cited the lack of political will for the inability to make integration real, noting that the Common Currency, Common Agricultural Policy, West African Power Pool and a Common Tariff Regime, among others, were examples of good integration policies which were yet to be implemented.
He reiterated his commitment to strengthening the ECOWAS community and urged all stakeholders to offer their full support to Community decisions and respect the structural organs of regional body, adding, however, that the integration process should become part and parcel of the national conversation in each of the member countries of ECOWAS and not a matter to be dealt with only by officials and Heads of States at meetings and proceedings of ECOWAS.
In a statement, Prof. S.K.B. Asante, Executive Director, CRIA, said ECOWAS integration was facing the key challenge of lack of adequate and visible institutional mechanisms for managing economic co-operation process at the national level.
There was, therefore, he said, an urgent need for a critical review of the structure of Ghana's merged Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration towards the creation of a separate Ministry of Regional Integration
The CRIA is a dedicated African Centre for regional integration that not only seeks to meet the challenges of region -building and regional integration in Africa, but also offers the much-needed leadership at all levels in this key aspect of African development.
CRIA is a continental institution that serves as a basis for research, training and consultancy on African economic integration and endeavours to respond to perceived problems that are clogging the wheels of African integration.
The Centre provides core competent skills for handling policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of issues on region - building and regional integration and awards Masters degrees, diplomas and certificates.
It also serves as a documentation and resource centre for policy makers, governments, and productive sector groups in the private sector, NGOs, as well as donor institutions and agencies which have an interest in regional integration.
In addition, CRIA offers other advisory services to governments and the regional integration schemes.
In partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) CRIA is implementing the Regional Integration Issues Forum (RIIF) project titled "Bringing West African Integration Home for National Development."
Other partners include the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), AFRINVEST Consult Ltd (ACL), West Africa Civil Society Organization (WACSI), and Best Western Premier Hotel.
The RIIF is a mechanism that facilitates purposeful interface between policymakers and non-state stakeholders of regional integration processes, through dialogues and meetings that create awareness of regional integration; build knowledge on the benefits of regional integration to national development; and promote public deliberation on national implementation processes of regional integration policies.
Source: ISD (G.D. Zaney)
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