The Civil Society Guide to Regional Economic Communities in Africa

Rudy Chitiga, Morris Odhiambo

Description

Since 1963, when the African integration project was born, regional Economic Communities (RECs) have been an indispensable part of the continent�s deeper socioeconomic and political integration. More than half a century later, such regional institutions continue to evolve, keeping pace with an Africa that is transforming itself amid challenges and opportunities. RECs represent a huge potential to be the engines that drive the continent�s economic growth and development as well as being vehicles through which a sense of a continental community is fostered. It is critical therefore that citizens understand the multi-faceted and bureaucratic operations of regional institutions in order to use them to advance their collective interests.

Informations

• Publié par: African Minds
• Date de parution: 02 mars 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781928331193
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Civil Society Guide to REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES in Africa

ECOWAS ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES

SADC SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

EAC EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

The Civil Society Guide to REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES in Africa

Published by African Minds on behalf of Open Society Foundations 224 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 www.opensocietyfoundations.org

African Minds 4 Eccleston Place, Somerset West, 7130, Cape Town, South Africa [e-mail] www.africanminds.org.za

 2016 All contents of this document, unless specified otherwise, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International Licence

ISBN: 978-1-920677-96-1 Print 978-1-928331-19-3 e-Book 978-1-928331-20-9 e-Pub

Copies of this book are available for free download at www.africanminds.org.za

ORDERS To order printed copies from Africa, please contact: African Minds Email: [e-mail] To order printed copies from outside Africa, please contact: African Books Collective PO Box 721, Oxford OX1 9EN, UK Email: [e-mail]

Contents

Tables Figures Acknowledgements Background

1. Executive summary  Abbreviations and acronyms  1.1 Regional Economic Communities  1.2 Historical background and legal framework  1.3 Organs and institutions  1.4 Decision-making processes  1.5 Budgets and financing  1.6 Relationship with the AU and other RECs  1.7 Engagement with civil society  1.8 Current debates within the RECs

2 .The East African Community  Abbreviations and acronyms  2.1 Historical background and legal framework  2.2 EAC organs and institutions  2.3 Decision-making at the EAC  2.4 Budgets and financing of EAC activities  2.5 Relationship with the AU and other RECs  2.6 Communication  2.7 Civil society in the EAC  2.8 Current debates in the EAC  Bibliography and resources  EAC contacts

v vi vii viii

1 1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6

9 9 10 16 26 33 35 37 37 43 48 49

3.The Economic Community of West African States  Abbreviations and acronyms  3.1 Historical background and legal framework  3.2 Organs and institutions of ECOWAS  3.3 The decision-making process in the ECOWAS framework  3.4 ECOWAS finances  3.5 CSO and NGO work in the ECOWAS framework  3.6 ECOWAS and the African Union  3.7 ECOWAS’s relationship with member states  3.8 Current debates in ECOWAS  Bibliography and resources  ECOWAS contacts

4 .The Southern African Development Community  Abbreviations and acronyms  4.1 Historical background and legal framework  4.2 SADC organs and institutions  4.3 The decision-making process in SADC  4.4 Budgets and financing of SADC activities  4.5 Relationship with the AU  4.6 Civil society in SADC  4.7 Current debates in SADC  Bibliography and resources  SADC contacts

51 51 52 58 77 81 82 87 88 89 91 93

95 95 96 103 114 116 120 121 125 127 128

Tables

Table 2.1 Different phases in the formation of the EAC Table 2.2 Decision-making tools and their legal effect Table 2.3 Institutions of the EAC Table 2.4 Meetings of organs of the EAC Table 2.5 Decision-making processes at the EAC and proposed civil society actions Table 2.6 Calendar of Activities July to December 2012 – select activities Table 2.7 Distribution of the 2012/2013 financial year budget Table 2.8 Sources and estimated proportion per source for 2012/2013 Table 2.9 Disbursements by the EAC Partnership Fund (USD million) Table 2.10 Participation of EAC partner states in different RECs Table 2.11 Provision by the EACT for civil society participation in the EAC Table 2.12 The various platforms and their host institutions Table 3.1 Decision-making tools and their legal effect Table 3.2 The central ECOWAS institutions Table 3.3 Allocation of seats in the ECOWAS Parliament Table 4.1 Key SADC historical events Table 4.2 Amendments to the SADC Treaty Table 4.3 SADC Protocols signed by member states Table 4.4 A sample of ratification of SADC Protocols by country (Y = Yes, N = No) Table 4.5 Agenda template for the Council of Ministers Table 4.6 The 2011/2012 Budget (USD million) Table 4.7 Analysis of approved 2011/2012 budget per intervention area Table 4.8 Status of annual member states’ contributions as at 30 September 2011 (USD million) Table 4.9 SADC ICP by thematic areas Table 4.10 Comparative contributions by member states and ICPs to the SADC budget (USD million) Table 4.11 Cross-memberships in RECs by SADC member states

11 14 25 28 29 31 34 34 35 36 37 39 57 58 62 98 99 100 102 109 117 117

118 119

119 125

The Civil Society Guide to Regional Economic Communities|v