President Bola Tinubup
Wednesday called for the strengthening of regional economic communities to drive integration and trade ties among African nations.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu made the call during the Summit on the State of Democracy in Africa Wednesday in Abuja.
He said said strengthening of regional economic would deepen democracy and accelerate development across the continent.
He called for revitalisation of sub-regional blocs like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Tinubu said these two communities would usher in an era of robust intra-African commerce, economic growth and job creation.
He added that through bitter experience, Nigeria has learned that the solution to poor democratic governance was to have more democracies.
Tinubu noted that the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could only be maximally realised when there was concrete economic integration and collaboration at the different sub-regions.
He urged the regional bodies to prioritise minimising trade barriers, promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, human capital development as well as value addition in agriculture and agro-allied sectors.
” We must deliberate on ways through which African sub-regional organisations can help foster better intra-African trade, achieve better food and energy security, promote higher rates of youth employment, alleviate poverty and realise greater prosperity for our people.”
Tinubu noted that a reinvigorated sub-regional cooperation was critical for the successful implementation of the path-breaking AfCFTA by harmonising rules and regulations to facilitate free movement of goods, services and people.
