Maite Nkoana-Mashabane: ‘Vision of Integrated Africa Becoming Reality’
Diplomacy | May 25, 2015, Monday // 08:38| views
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
The celebration of Africa Day this year is of particular significance as the African Union (AU) summit next month is expected to adopt the First 10 Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has said.
In an analysis titled “Advancing African solidarity” and published by the South African daily newspaper The New Age, she highlights the importance of the plan which outlines “flagship projects aimed at kick-starting the implementation of Agenda 2063 with a view to fully integrate the continent in 50 years.”
Africa Day is marked on 25 May to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) by 32 independent African states in 1963. The organisation became the African Union of 53 member states in 2002. South Sudan was admitted as the 54th AU member state after achieving independence in 2012.
Agenda 2063 is a 50-year continental framework aimed at building an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa by 2063. Under the flagship programmes of Agenda 2063, Africa is set to be connected through aviation, railways, highways, communication technology, energy and the seas, the author says.
South Africa’s National Development Plan already includes the key proposals in Agenda 2063, with a strong focus on regional cooperation and integration.
Pointing out that economic integration is “a critical component of the continent’s efforts to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth,” Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says that the key proposals in Agenda 2063 have already been made part of South Africa’s National Development Plan, with a strong focus on regional cooperation and integration.
To advance the integration effort further, negotiations for African free trade area (FTA) are expected to take place this year to facilitate its establishment by 2017.
The FTA aims to establish an integrated market with a combined population of 600 million, a total GDP of USD 1 trillion, and a long-term growth rate in excess of 5% per year.
“The vision of the AU of an integrated Africa is becoming a reality,” Maite Nkoana-Mashabane opines.
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