Published on United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (http://www.uneca.org)
Home > Inaugural launch of the Africa Regional Integration Index report at ECA
Addis Ababa, 23 March 2016 (ECA) - How are African countries performing in integrating trade, regional infrastructure, mobility of persons and goods, finance and production? The Africa Regional Integration Index seeks to give answers by scoring and rating the performance of African countries and regional economic communities.
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will launch the first edition of the Africa Regional Integration Indexon April 2, 2016, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Africa Regional Integration Index, a collaboration between ECA, the African Union and the African Development Bank says regional integration is a development priority for Africa and that integration matters for the continent.
The report is the first systematic, continent-wide instrument for measuring the progress made by the 54 African countries in implementing the continent’s regional integration frameworks.
The report says “Africa’s integration journey towards a more connected, competitive and
business-friendly continent is underway and its roadmap is, in some areas, under construction.
Africa’s Regional Integration Index is an action tool measuring the progress of an Africa on the move.”
Using 16 indicators, the report measures the key socio-economic categories that are fundamental to Africa’s integration: regional infrastructure; trade integration, financial and macro-economic integration; free movement of people; and productive integration.
“Findings show that while progress is being made, with 28 high performing countries across the eight Regional Economic Communities, average integration scores stand at below half of the scale,” remarks the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union, Mr Erastus Mwencha.
Mr. Carlos Lopes, ECA’s Executive Secretary, points out that the index is a measurement
exercise and a call to action. “Index findings show that the highest average scores are on Trade integration, which has been a longstanding priority across the regions,” he says.
The African Development Bank believes “integration is at the foundation of Africa’s future and as a driver for change, the Index will build the case for a more competitive Africa.”
The index is intended both as a monitoring and evaluation tool and a dashboard for policy makers on regional integration issues. New data for the index will be collected each year and reports will be published on a regular basis.
Inaugural launch of the Africa Regional Integration Index report at ECA http://www.uneca.org/print/10397
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The report will be launched on the side-lines of the annual Conference of African Ministers of Finance and Economic Development in Addis Ababa, on the 2nd of April.
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Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: [email protected][1]
Source URL: http://www.uneca.org/stories/inaugural-launch-africa-regional-integration-index-report-eca
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Inaugural launch of the Africa Regional Integration Index report at ECA http://www.uneca.org/print/10397
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