From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Fri Jun 05 2009 - 07:47:49 EDT
Conflicts hurt African integration: COMESA chief
June 5, 2009 - 52 minutes ago
VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (AFP) — Political conflicts in countries like
Somalia and Madagascar hinder Africa's efforts at regional integration, the
head of the continent's biggest trade bloc said Friday.
COMESA secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya hailed efforts to resolve conflicts
in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where about half of the
bloc's members were fighting a regional war in 1999.
"The lack of a forum for dialogue to address conflicts was a gap that was
hindering our progress in economic integration," Ngwenya told foreign
ministers from COMESA's 19 members, ahead of a heads of state summit this
weekend.
"We should however be mindful that as we address conflicts that besieged us
for the past few years, new issues of peace and security have emerged that
have a negative impact on our integration efforts," Ngwenya said in his
address.
"Such issues include piracy of the coast of Somalia and recent conflicts in
Madagascar.
"These are issues that need your attention and I am pleased to inform you
that the committee on peace and security which met two weeks ago in
Mauritius considered these issues."
Ngwenya said the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) was
working to establish an early response system meant to nip new conflicts in
the bud.
Zimbabwe's vice president Joice Mujuru said such a mechanism was needed to
defuse tensions around the region.
"It is therefore important as region to enhance capacity to detect brewing
conflicts so that timely interventions can be triggered before problems
escalate into fully blown violent conflict," Mujuru told the meeting.
COMESA plans to launch the continent's biggest customs union this weekend,
harmonising tariffs across a region that stretches from Egypt to South
Africa.
COMESA comprises Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
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