Economic Community of Central African States
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Economic Community of Central African States
| |
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Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | |
Working languages | |
Type | Pillar of the African Economic Community |
Membership | |
Leaders | |
• Secretary-General | Ahmad Allam-Mi |
Establishment | October 18, 1983 |
Area | |
• Total | 6,670,000 km2 (2,580,000 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Estimate | 200 million (2020)[1] |
Website ceeac-eccas.org |
Politics of the African Union |
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The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS; French: Communauté Économique des États de l'Afrique Centrale, CEEAC; Spanish: Comunidad Económica de los Estados de África Central, CEEAC; Portuguese: Comunidade Económica dos Estados da África Central, CEEAC) is an Economic Community of the African Union for promotion of regional economic co-operation in Central Africa. It "aims to achieve collective autonomy, raise the standard of living of its populations and maintain economic stability through harmonious cooperation".
History
Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa
The Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (or UDEAC from its name in French, Union Douanière et Économique de l’Afrique Centrale), (in Spanish: Unión Aduanera y Económica de África Central, UAEAC), (in Portuguese: União Aduaneira e Económica da África Central, UAEAC), established by the Brazzaville Treaty in 1964,
Foundation
At a summit meeting in December 1981, the leaders of the UDEAC agreed in principle to form a wider economic community of Central African states. ECCAS was established on 18 October 1983 by the UDEAC members,
ECCAS began functioning in 1985, but was inactive for several years because of financial difficulties (non-payment of membership fees by the member states) and
Presided over by President
- Obtain assistance from UNECA to evaluate the operational activities of the secretariat; to evaluate the contributions due by member states; and the salaries and salary structures of employees of the secretariat
- Convene an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers as soon as possible to evaluate the recommendations of UNECA; the Council should then draw up proposals for a new administrative structure for the secretariat and revised contributions due by each member state.
The summit also requested countries in the region to find lasting and peaceful solutions to their political problems. The
Recent events
The 10th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government took place in Malabo in June 2002. This Summit decided to adopt a protocol on the establishment of a Network of Parliamentarians of Central Africa (REPAC) and to adopt the standing orders of the Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX), including the Defence and Security Commission (CDS), Multinational Force of Central Africa (FOMAC) and the Early Warning Mechanism of Central Africa (MARAC). Rwanda was also officially welcomed upon its return as a full member of ECCAS.
On January 24, 2003, the European Union (EU) concluded a financial agreement with ECCAS and CEMAC, conditional on ECCAS and CEMAC merging into one organization, with ECCAS taking responsibility for the peace and security of the sub-region through its security pact COPAX. CEMAC is not one of the pillars of the African Economic Community, but its members are associated with it through Economic Community of Central African States. The EU had multiple peacekeeping missions in the DR Congo: Operation Artemis (June to September 2003), EUPOL Kinshasa (from October 2003) and EUSEC DR Congo (from May 2005).
The 11th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government in Brazzaville during January 2004 welcomed the fact that the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of a Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX) had received the required number of ratifications to enter into force. The Summit also adopted a declaration on the implementation of NEPAD in Central Africa as well as a declaration on gender equality.
On September 23, 2009, pursuant to Presidential Determination 2009-26[6] and as published in the Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 183 (Presidential Documents 48363) ECCAS was made eligible under the U.S. Arms Export Control Act for the furnishing of defense articles and defense services. This makes the ECCAS organization and (theoretically) the countries under their charter eligible for U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program (i.e. government to government sales and assistance) pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act and for other such U.S. assistance as directed by a USG contract to U.S. industry for such support pursuant to the (ITAR)[1].
In 2007,
In response to the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état, the ECCAS condemned the military use of force and asked for restoration of constitutional order.[9] It also suspended Gabon's membership in the bloc on 5 September[10] and moved its headquarters from Libreville to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
Economic integration
Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa
The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (or CEMAC from its name in
CEMAC's objectives are the promotion of trade, the institution of a genuine common market, and greater solidarity among peoples and towards under-privileged countries and regions.[13] In 1994, it succeeded in introducing quota restrictions and reductions in the range and amount of tariffs. Currently, CEMAC countries share a common financial, regulatory, and legal structure, and maintain a common external tariff on imports from non-CEMAC countries. In theory, tariffs have been eliminated on trade within CEMAC, but full implementation of this has been delayed. Movement of capital within CEMAC is free.[14]
Country | ECCAS | CEMAC | SADC | EAC |
---|---|---|---|---|
Angola | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Burundi | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Cameroon | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Central African Republic | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Chad | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Equatorial Guinea | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Gabon | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Republic of the Congo | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Rwanda[8][15] | Yes | No | No | Yes |
São Tomé and Príncipe | Yes | No | No | No |
Objectives
The ultimate goal is to establish a Central African
- to develop capacities to maintain peace, security and stability - as essential prerequisites for economic and social development
- to develop physical, monetaryintegration
- to develop a culture of human integration
- to establish an autonomous financing mechanism for ECCAS
Structure
- Conference of Heads of State and Government
- Council of Ministers
- Secretariat General (one secretary-general elected for four years and three assistant secretaries-general)
- Court of Justice
- Consultative Commission
Treaties and protocols
- Treaty Establishing the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
- Protocol Establishing the Network of Parliamentarians of ECCAS (REPAC)
- Mutual Assistance Pact Between Member States of ECCAS
- Protocol Relating to the Establishment of a Mutual Security Pact in Central Africa (COPAX)
Appendices to the ECCAS Treaty
- Protocol on the Rules of Originfor products to be traded between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Non-Tariff Trade Barriers
- Protocol on the Re-exportof goods within the ECCAS
- Protocol on Transitand Transit facilities
- Protocol on Customs cooperation within the ECCAS
- Protocol on the Fund for Compensation for Loss of Revenue
- Protocol on Freedom of movement and Rights of Establishment of nationals of member states within the ECCAS
- Protocol on the Clearing House for the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Agricultural development between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Industrial development between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Transport and Communications between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Science and Technology between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Energy cooperation between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Natural resources between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in the development of Human resources, Education, Training and Culture between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on Cooperation in Tourism between member states of the ECCAS
- Protocol on the Simplification and Harmonization of Trade documents and Procedures within the ECCAS
- Protocol on the Situation of Landlocked, Semi-Landlocked, Island, Part-Island and/or Least Advanced Countries
Peace and security activities
Central African states adopted a pact of non-aggression at the end of the fifth meeting of the UN Consultative Committee on Security in Central Africa held in
. At a summit conference of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa which took place in Yaoundé on 25–26 February 1999, member states decided to create an organisation for the promotion, maintenance and consolidation of peace and security in Central Africa, which would be called the Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX). The COPAX Protocol has now entered into force.Technical organs of the COPAX council
- The Central African Early-Warning System (MARAC), which collects and analyses data for the early detection and prevention of crises.
- The Defence and Security Commission (CDS), which is the meeting of chiefs of staffof national armies and commanders-in-chief of police and gendarmerie forces from the different member states. Its role is to plan, organize and provide advice to the decision-making bodies of the community in order to initiate military operations if needed.
- The Multinational Force of Central Africa (FOMAC), which is a non-permanent force consisting of military contingents from member states, whose purpose is to accomplish missions of peace, security and humanitarian relief.
The standing orders for COPAX, including those of CDS, MARAC and FOMAC were adopted in June 2002 at the 10th Ordinary Summit in Malabo.
In January 2000, Gabon hosted a regional peacekeeping exercise "Gabon 2000" with the objective of increasing the capacity of ECCAS states in the field of peacekeeping and conflict prevention and management. This exercise represented a direct application of the French RECAMP-concept (reinforcement of African peacekeeping capacities).
Extraordinary Summits of both ECCAS and CEMAC took place in
A meeting of Defence
MICOPAX
The Mission for the consolidation of peace in Central African Republic (MICOPAX) is a peace operation in the
See also
- Pink card system, the CEMAC motor insurance scheme
- Central African Financial Market Supervisory Commission
- Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS)
- Economy of Africa
- East African Community
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
References
- ^ CEEAC, Communication (2023-05-28). "ECCAS IN BRIEF". ECCAS Official Website. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
- ^ "Traité instituant une Union douanière et économique de l'Afrique centrale" (PDF) (in French). CEMAC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "CEMAC EN BREF" (in French). CEMAC. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ Alen Angok. "PRÉSENTATION". Ge-Infonet (in French). Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ NEPAD, The Africa Platform on Development Effectiveness, http://www.africa-platform.org/fr/perspectives-africaines/communautes-economiques-regionales/communaute-economique-des-etats-dafrique Archived 2018-12-02 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 2 january 2018
- ^ "Federal Register, Volume 74 Issue 183 (Wednesday, September 23, 2009)".
- ^ "SADC, COMESA and the EAC: Conflicting regional and trade agendas". Institute for Global Dialogue. October 2008. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ a b "Rwanda back to Central Africa bloc, 10 years on". 2016-08-20. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Central African bloc calls for return to constitutional order in Gabon". Reuters. 31 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Central African bloc suspends Gabon over coup". Africanews. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ CEMAC website Archived 2008-12-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ CEMAC Treaty (in French) Archived 29 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "IZF - Investir en Zone Franc - actualité économique Afrique - zone franc CFA". Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-05-17. Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale (CEMAC)
- ^ "National Trade Estimates Report – Cameroon" US Fed News, 31 March 2006
- ^ "Etats Membres". Economic Community of Central African States. Archived from the original on 2013-08-24.
- ^ UK House of Commons, House of Commons Written Answers 28 April 2004, part 37 Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 2009
- ^ "MICOPAX". EuropeAid – European Commission. 2012-05-15. Archived from the original on 2013-05-11.