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DECLARATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION OF CONSUMERS (AUC) ON ACCELERATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FLAGSHIP DECISIONS OF AGENDA 2063

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The 35th Summit of the African Union (AU) will take place from 5th to 6th February 2022 in Addis Ababa. The Heads of State and Government will have to examine important issues such as peace and security on our continent, but also the state of implementation of decisions taken in favour of African integration.

Indeed, the continent is facing several challenges: an acute economic crisis, poverty, inequalities and the multiplication of political and security instability. In addition, there is the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the living conditions of the populations and on the economies of the region.

Addressing these challenges is a prerequisite for our continental organisation to realise its structural transformation agenda and achieve the full potential of its flagship project on the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

The Single Market for African Air Transport (SMAAT) established in 2018 for this purpose, which is also one of the AU's Agenda 2063 flagship projects, is still at the draft stage. MUTAA is now seen as a crucial logistical infrastructure and facilitator for the smooth functioning of the FTAA, complemented by the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons and Goods and the African Passport. Till date, only 34 member states have signed the MUTTA and only 18 have signed a protocol for its implementation.

In the same vein, the AUC deplores the fact that the financing mechanism of the continental organisation decided in Kigali in July 2016 relating to the 0.2% import levy to finance the AU budget is struggling to be implemented. Till date, only 25 countries, or about 45% of AU members, were at various stages of domesticating the Kigali decision.

This is why the AUC, the continental platform of African Union of Consumers, which is very committed to regional integration, is seizing the opportunity of the 35th AU Session to launch an appeal to the Heads of State and Government.

To make the African Union autonomous and less dependent on external aid, the AUC strongly encourages the Heads of State and Government to:

  • Accelerate the implementation of the 0.2% levy on eligible imports to enable the African Union to finance itself in the long term;
  • Adopt complementary measures to strengthen the Kigali financing decision;
  • Accelerate the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM);
  • Accelerate the removal of obstacles to the implementation of ZLECAF and the free movement of all African citizens within the continent.
  • Involve civil society organizations in Africa in the elaboration, implementation and monitoring-evaluation of the Union's actions in the area of citizen control of the actions of Public Authorities.

Done in N’djamena, on 03 February 2022

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