African Union To Commemorate African Integration Day

The African Union would virtually commemorate 2^nd edition of the African Integration Day from 7-9^th July 2021.

The Union would commemorate the day led by the Department of Economic Development, Trade and Mining, under the theme: The Role of Continental Integration in Accelerating African Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The objective of the commemoration is to deliberate on how to use integration as a tool for the continent’s economic recovery to build back better together following the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to the Union website.

The expected outcomes of the commemoration include the Promoting civic participation for an inclusive implementation of Africa’s regional integration agenda; and foster coordinated policy-making processes through inclusive dialogue for the identification of appropriate, practical and effective means to accelerate continental integration, including addressing, issues around sovereign, which have found to impede accelerated integration process, among others.

The forum would attract participants from African Union Member States, African Union Commission, African Union Specialized Institutions, RECs, Institutions from the UN System and other Development Cooperating Partners, African Financial Institutions, the Private Sector, Academics, Professionals, Youth, Women, Civil Society, the Diaspora, Research Institutions and Think Tanks, among others. However, participants are required to visit AU website to register.

The event would include a host of activities which would cover among others: Status of regional integration in Africa; Dissemination of the 2021 African Integration Report; Discussions on African Integration Programmes; Market Integration: practical modalities and successful implementation of the AfCFTA; Challenges encountered in the implementation of regional and continental integration agenda; Issuance of joint statements by the Chairperson of the Union, Chairperson of the AU Commission and the Champion of the AfCFTA; Launch and follow up of programmes and initiatives on regional integration; and Free movement of persons, right of residence and right of establishment.

The African Union Heads of State and Government in 2019, designated 7^th of July annually as “the African Integration Day”. It is  meant to celebrate major achievements attained in the regional and continental integration process, and to deliberate on critical lessons learned, with a view of addressing challenges faced.