AfDB, AU, and UN Partners Champion Push for African Customs Union and Common Market
The African Development Bank (AfDB), African Union Commission (AUC), and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have renewed calls for stronger economic integration across the continent, unveiling a new roadmap to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and establish an African Customs Union and Common Market.
The announcement came during the official launch of the 11th Edition of the Assessing Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA XI) report held in Malabo on July 12, under the theme “Delivering on the African Economic Community: Towards an African Continental Customs Union and African Continental Common Market.”
The event was a powerful platform for key institutions and leaders to emphasize that Africa’s integration is no longer optional, it is essential.
“Africa’s integration is a development pathway of necessity,” said Dr. Joy Kategekwa, Director for Regional Integration Coordination at the AfDB. Speaking on behalf of the Bank, she stressed that economic unity was the only viable route to unlocking Africa’s industrial potential and improving lives through broad-based economic empowerment.
While celebrating the progress of the AfCFTA, signed by 54 African countries, Kategekwa noted that the agreement alone doesn’t solve the challenge of coordinating trade with third countries outside the continent. “Only a customs union can provide the mechanism for a common external tariff and coordinated trade policy,” she said.
The ARIA XI report outlines the practical steps needed to move from a free trade area to a fully functional customs union and common market, calling on African leaders to remove policy barriers and align regional laws to strengthen intra-African trade.
Moses Vilakati, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, described AfCFTA as a “monumental milestone” but stressed the urgency to move beyond it. “To unlock our continent’s potential, we must dismantle existing barriers and harmonize our trade policies,” he said, urging action towards a single African market.
Aboubakri Diaw, speaking on behalf of UN ECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete, highlighted that ARIA XI is “more than just another report.” He described it as a bold, evidence-based policy tool aimed at reshaping Africa’s economic landscape amid shifting global dynamics. “It is intellectually grounded and practical,” Diaw said, calling for political will to implement its recommendations.
The launch featured a high-level panel discussion titled “The Role of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Deepening Africa’s Integration.” Leaders from ECOWAS, ECCAS, and CEN-SAD shared insights on how regional blocs can drive the African Economic Community vision outlined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty.
Dr. Omar Alieu Touray (ECOWAS), Ambassador Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo (ECCAS), and H.E. El Hadji Abou (CEN-SAD) emphasized that collaboration among RECs is vital to deliver cross-border infrastructure, streamline policies, and foster economic resilience.
“Africa must act urgently and collectively,” Kategekwa concluded. “We are no longer just dreaming, we are designing the specifics of how to get there.”
The ARIA XI report is the product of joint work between AfDB, AUC, and ECA. It lays out actionable policy frameworks, investment strategies, and governance reforms to help Africa achieve a single customs territory and common market.
Download the full ARIA XI report: www.aria-report.org
