In an interview with the newspaper L’Union after the 11th extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Gabonese Minister for Foreign Affairs said that the institution had not reached its target. main objective, economic integration.
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is moving towards the institutional reform desired by the heads of state and government. The transformation of the General Secretariat into a Commission will be one of the major axes of the materialization of this reform. “The States which have adopted this new Treaty, providing for the transition from the General Secretariat to the new Commission, clearly show their support for this mission. The Commission will be able to function better, “said Gabon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in an interview with L’Union.
According to Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, the areas of competence will be better defined, human resources better identified and financial resources better secured. “The Commission will also have the mission of representing the community before States and institutions. And this Commission will have the great role of embodying all the expectations, both of the authorities of the community and of the populations, “he said.
But before the effective transition to this Commission and at the hour of the last moments of the General Secretariat, Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze noted that the ECCAS had resounding successes in terms of sub-regional diplomacy, prevention and regulations of Conflicts. However, he admits, “it did not achieve its main goal.” This objective, he explained, was to promote greater regional integration economically.
The current reform, he said, should make it possible to rectify the situation. It “aims precisely to put the ECCAS on these rails of regional integration, economic integration favoured by infrastructures, a common market, exchanges, the free movement of goods and people, capital”, he indicated. It should also allow “greater integration of peoples”.
This deficit is partly due to the low contribution of the States. Some members were unable to honour their commitments for several years, thus depriving the institution of more than ten billion CFA francs. Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze believes that “this problem can be resolved”.
The mechanisms provided for in the Treaty which sets in motion the reform provides for “the introduction of a Community tax to finance this integration”, thus making it possible to resolve this problem. “This community tax already exists. The States reaffirmed that they can collect and return it, ”he said.
This provision, which was not foreseen by the first Treaty, also includes sanctions. And these “will be applied to states that fail to pay their contributions on a regular and decisive basis. This is why some states have had to withdraw their candidacies because they are not up to date with contributions, “he revealed. For him, this is a sign that ECCAS is evolving to achieve its objectives.
