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Image:AEC.png The African Economic Community (abbreviated AEC) is an organization of African Union states establishing grounds for mutual economic development. The member states are mounting efforts to collaborate economically, but are impeded by civil wars raging in parts of Africa. The stated goals of the organization include the creation of free trade areas, customs unions, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency thus establishing an economic and monetary union. Contents 1 Pillars of the African Economic Community 1.1 Pillar membership 1.2 Other blocs 2 Goals 2.1 Stages progress 2.2 Overall progress 3 Comparison between Regional blocs 4 See also 5 References 6 External Links [edit] Pillars of the African Economic Community Currently there are multiple Regional blocs in Africa, also known as Regional Economic Communities (abbreviated RECs), many of which have overlapping memberships. The RECs consist primarily of trade blocs and, in some cases, some political and military cooperation. Most of these RECs form the 'pillars' of AEC, many of which also have an overlap in some of their member states. Due to this high proportion of overlap it is likely that some states with several memberships will eventually drop out of one or more RECs. Several of these pillars also contain subgroups with tighter customs and/or monetary unions of their own: These pillars and their corresponding subgroups are as follows: Pillars Subgroups Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) East African Community (EAC) Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS/CEEAC) Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Southern African Development Community (SADC) Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Arab Maghreb Union (AMU/UMA) [edit] Pillar membership CEN-SAD Founding states (1998): Image:Flag of Libya.svg Libya Image:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso Image:Flag of Mali.svg Mali Image:Flag of Niger.svg Niger Image:Flag of Chad.svg Chad Image:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan Joined later: 1999: Image:Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic 1999: Image:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea 2000: Image:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti 2000: Image:Flag of The Gambia.svg The Gambia 2000: Image:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal 200?: Image:Flag of Benin.svg Benin 200?: Image:Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire 200?: Image:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt 200?: Image:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana 200?: Image:Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau 200?: Image:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia 200?: Image:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco 200?: Image:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria 200?: Image:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone 200?: Image:Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia 200?: Image:Flag of Togo.svg Togo 200?: Image:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia COMESA Founding states (1994): Image:Flag of Angola.svg Angola Image:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Kinshasa Image:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti Image:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea Image:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia Image:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya Image:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros Image:Flag of Madagascar (bordered).svg Madagascar Image:Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius Image:Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi Image:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda Image:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan Image:Flag of Swaziland.svg Swaziland Image:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda Image:Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia Image:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe Joined later: 1999: Image:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt 2001: Image:Flag of the Seychelles.svg Seychelles 2005: Image:Flag of Libya.svg Libya Former members: 1994-1997: Image:Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho 1994-1997: Image:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique 1994-2000: Image:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania 1994-2004: Image:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia ECOWAS Founding states (1975): Image:Flag of Benin.svg Benin UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of The Gambia.svg The Gambia Image:Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana Image:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea Image:Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau UEMOA-97 Image:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia Image:Flag of Mali.svg Mali UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of Niger.svg Niger UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria Image:Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal UEMOA-94 Image:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone Image:Flag of Togo.svg Togo UEMOA-94 Joined later: 1976: Image:Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde Former members: 1975-2002: Image:Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania UEMOA-94: UEMOA state from 1994 UEMOA-97: UEMOA state from 1997 SADC Founding states (1980): Image:Flag of Angola.svg Angola Image:Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana SACU-70 Image:Flag of Lesotho.svg Lesotho SACU-70 Image:Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi Image:Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique Image:Flag of Swaziland.svg Swaziland SACU-70 Image:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania Image:Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia Image:Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe Joined later: 1990: Image:Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia SACU-90 1990: Image:Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa SACU-70 1995: Image:Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius 1997: Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Kinshasa 2005: Image:Flag of Madagascar (bordered).svg Madagascar Applicant countries: 2000: Image:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda 2006: Image:Flag of the Seychelles.svg Seychelles Former members: 1997-2004: Image:Flag of the Seychelles.svg Seychelles SACU-70: SACU state from 1970 SACU-90: SACU state from 1990 ECCAS Founding states (1985): Image:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi Image:Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of Chad.svg Chad CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Kinshasa Image:Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Brazzaville CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg Equatorial Guinea CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon CEMAC-99 Image:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda Image:Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg São Tomé and Príncipe Joined later: 1999: Image:Flag of Angola.svg Angola CEMAC-99: CEMAC state from 1999 EAC Founding states (2001): Image:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya Image:Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania Image:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda Joined later: 2006: Image:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda 2006: Image:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi IGAD Founding states (1986): Image:Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti Image:Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia Image:Flag of Kenya.svg Kenya Image:Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia Image:Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan Image:Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda Joined later: 1993: Image:Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea UMA 1 Founding states (1989): Image:Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria Image:Flag of Libya.svg Libya Image:Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania Image:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco Image:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia ██ member states; year of joining ██ member states; year of joining; cooperation in the framework of the bloc stalled ██ candidate states; year of application 1 The Arab Maghreb Union does not participate in the AEC so far, because of opposition by Morocco Image:RECs of the AEC.png Image:Active RECs of the AEC.png

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[edit] Other blocs

Image:Other trade blocks in Africa.png

Other African regional blocs, not participating in the AEC (their members can be part of other regional blocs which do participate), are the following.

• Agadir Agreement (includes Mediterranean states, one from Asia)
• Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL)
• Indian Ocean Commission (COI)
• Liptako-Gourma Authority (LGA)
• Mano River Union (MRU)

Their membership is as follows:

Agadir 1	CEPGL	COI	LGA	MRU
2004 membership: Image:Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt Image:Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco Image:Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia Image:Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan	1976 membership: Image:Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi Image:Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Kinshasa Image:Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda	1984 membership: Image:Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros Image:Flag of Madagascar (bordered).svg Madagascar Image:Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius Image:Flag of the Seychelles.svg Seychelles	1970 membership: Image:Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso Image:Flag of Mali.svg Mali Image:Flag of Niger.svg Niger	1973 membership: Image:Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia Image:Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone Joined later: 1980: Image:Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea

¹ The Agadir Agreement is the only bloc not currently stalled

[edit] Goals

The AEC founded through the Abuja Treaty, signed in 1991 and entered into force in 1994 is envisioned to be created in six stages:

1. (to be completed in 1999) Creation of regional blocs in regions where such do not yet exist
2. (to be completed in 2007) Strengthening of intra-REC integration and inter-REC harmonisation
3. (to be completed in 2017) Establishing of a free trade area and customs union in each regional bloc
4. (to be completed in 2019) Establishing of a continent-wide customs union (and thus also a free trade area)
5. (to be completed in 2023) Establishing of a continent-wide African Common Market (ACM)
6. (to be completed in 2028) Establishing of a continent-wide economic and monetary union (and thus also a currency union) and Parliament

• End of all transition periods: 2034 at the latest

[edit] Stages progress

as of December 2005

• Stage 1: Completed, only UMA members and Sahrawi Republic not participating. Somalia is participating, but no practical implementation as of yet.
• Stage 2: Steady progress, nothing factual to check.
• Stage 3:

	Regional blocs - pillars of the African Economic Community (AEC)										Other blocs
Activity	CEN-SAD	COMESA	EAC	ECOWAS		ECCAS		IGAD	SADC		Agadir	UMA
				UEMOA	Common	CEMAC	Common		SACU	Common
Free Trade Area	stalled	progressing 1	fully in force	fully in force	proposed	fully in force	proposed for 2007 ?	stalled	fully in force	proposed for 2008	fully in force	stalled
Customs Union	stalled	proposed for 2008	fully in force	fully in force	proposed for 2007	fully in force	proposed for 2011 ?	stalled	fully in force	proposed for 2010		stalled

¹ Members not yet participating: Angola, DR Congo (in talks to join), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Seychelles (in talks to join), Swaziland (on derogation until SACU gives permission for Swaziland to join the FTA), Uganda (to join very soon)[1]

• Stage 4: no progress yet
• Stage 5: no progress yet
• Stage 6: no progress yet

[edit] Overall progress

		Activities
Regional bloc		Free Trade Area	Customs Union	Economic and monetary union		Free Travel		Political pact	Defence pact
				Single Market	Currency Union	Visa-free	Border-less
AEC		proposed for 2019	proposed for 2019	proposed for 2023	proposed for 2028			proposed for 2028	?
CEN-SAD		proposed for 2010
COMESA		in force 1	proposed for 2008	?	proposed for 2025
EAC		in force	in force		proposed for 2009	proposed	?	proposed for 2010
ECCAS	CEMAC	in force	in force	?	in force
	Common	proposed for 2007 ?	proposed for 2011 ?	proposed	proposed	proposed	?		in force
ECOWAS	UEMOA	in force	in force	?	in force
	Common	proposed 2	proposed for 2007	?	proposed for 2009 1 and proposed common	in force 1	proposed	proposed	in force
IGAD
SADC	SACU	in force	in force		de-facto in force 1	?
	Common[2]	proposed for 2008 3	proposed for 2010	proposed for 2015	proposed for 2018
UMA

¹ not all members participating yet
² telecommunications, transport and energy - proposed
³ sensitive goods to be covered from 2012

[edit] Comparison between Regional blocs

African Economic Community Pillars regional blocs (REC) Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Member states in millions per capita AEC 29,910,442 853,520,010 2,053,706 2,406 53 ECOWAS 5,112,903 251,646,263 342,519 1,361 15 ECCAS 6,667,421 121,245,958 175,928 1,451 11 SADC 9,882,959 233,944,179 737,335 3,152 14 EAC 1,763,777 97,865,428 104,239 1,065 3 COMESA 12,873,957 406,102,471 735,599 1,811 20 IGAD 5,233,604 187,969,775 225,049 1,197 7 Western Sahara 3 266,000 273,008  ?  ? N/A 4 Other African blocs Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Member states in millions per capita CEMAC 1 3,020,142 34,970,529 85,136 2,435 6 SACU 1 2,693,418 51,055,878 541,433 10,605 5 UEMOA 1 3,505,375 80,865,222 101,640 1,257 8 UMA 2 5,782,140 84,185,073 491,276 5,836 5 Agadir 1,703,910 126,066,286 513,674 4,075 4 1 Economic bloc inside a pillar REC 2 Proposed for pillar REC, but objecting participation 3 The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a signatory to the AEC, but not participating in any bloc yet 4 Majority under military occupation by Morocco; some territory administered by the SADR ██ smallest value among the blocs compared ██ largest value among the blocs compared During 2004. Source: CIA World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database This box: view • talk • edit</div>

Most active regional blocs Regional bloc 1 Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Member states 1 in millions per capita EU* 3,977,487 460,124,266 11,723,816 25,480 25 CARICOM 462,344 14,565,083 64,219 4,409 14+1 3 ECOWAS 5,112,903 251,646,263 342,519 1,361 15 CEMAC 3,020,142 34,970,529 85,136 2,435 6 EAC 1,763,777 97,865,428 104,239 1,065 3 CSN 17,339,153 370,158,470 2,868,430 7,749 10 GCC 2,285,844 35,869,438 536,223 14,949 6 SACU 2,693,418 51,055,878 541,433 10,605 5 COMESA 3,779,427 118,950,321 141,962 1,193 5 NAFTA 21,588,638 430,495,039 12,889,900 29,942 3 ASEAN 4,400,000 553,900,000 2,172,000 4,044 10 SAARC 5,136,740 1,467,255,669 4,074,031 2,777 8 Agadir 1,703,910 126,066,286 513,674 4,075 4 EurAsEC 20,789,100 208,067,618 1,689,137 8,118 6 CACM 422,614 37,816,598 159,536 4,219 5 PARTA 528,151 7,810,905 23,074 2,954 12+2 3 Reference blocs and countries 2 Area (km²) Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Political divisions in millions per capita UN 133,178,011 6,411,682,270 55,167,630 8,604 192 Canada 9,984,670 32,507,874 1,077,000 34,273 13 China (PRC) 4 9,596,960 1,306,847,624 8,182,000 6,300 33 India 3,287,590 1,102,600,000 3,433,000 3,100 35 Japan 377,835 127,333,002 3,910,728 30,615 47 Russia 17,075,200 143,782,338 1,589,000 8,900 89 USA 9,631,418 296,900,571 11,190,000 39,100 50 1 Including data only for full and most active members 2 The first two states in the World by area, population and GDP (PPP) 3 Including non-sovereign autonomous entities of other states 4 Data for the People's Republic of China does not include Hong Kong, Macau and regions administered by the Republic of China (Taiwan). * Although the European Union is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association or an ordinary regional bloc, and it has many of the attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, central bank, currency, elected parliament, supreme court and common foreign and security policy. </center> ██ smallest value among the blocs compared ██ largest value among the blocs compared During 2004. Source: CIA World Factbook 2005, IMF WEO Database This box: view • talk • edit</div>

[edit] See also

• Economy of Africa
• Economy of the African Union

[edit] References

• A single African currency in our time?

[edit] External Links

• African Union Offical Website
• South African webpage on RECs
• Pan-African Perspective