Interview: Regional integration taking shape in Africa

The African integration is now moving at a faster pace than in the past with various projects taking place across many African borders, African Union (AU) Commissioner Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim has said.

Major highway construction in West Africa across five African countries, railway in North Africa, North South Corridor in Southern and East Africa and rail and roads in East Africa are testimony of the progress in the African integration, Ibrahim said in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the Infrastructure Africa 2016 taking place in Johannesburg on Friday.

The two-day conference is being attended by over 54 African ministers and representatives from the private sector and fund managers.

Ibrahim said there are power generations and transmission lines being constructed in Africa, another sign of progress.

"Regional integration has not failed but is progressing well and succeeding. A lot is going on in the continent and I can give various examples. Our Heads of States have committed to regional integration. Uneven distribution and diversification of resources requires that we work together. That's why we think regional integration is key to development and economic growth," she said.

Ibrahim said African countries have come a long way and now have charters in place to support the regional integrations.

The AU, she said, has worked out a technical and specification policy for road safety and now is working on energy grid and framework.

Ibrahim said African countries also have a cyber-security and maritime charter.

"Regional integration is our mandate and we are committed to that. We are in the process of making sure there is free movement of people across borders, infrastructure and also on the political side. We now have African passports in place which we have been using for some time and that's a show of progress," she said.

John Byabagambi, Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport said Africa leaders have shown some political will to implement integration projects.

He said the project of a railway from Kampala to Kenya attracted over 100 companies with lots of investment.

"It has to start with a vision. We have many regional projects seriously in progress. We have regional blocks and in future will have one common market for the continent. This will lure investors to build one big market to help the region or the whole of Africa. In Uganda we are committed that regional projects take the priority," Byabagambi said.

Malian Minister of Equipment and Transports Mamadou Hachim Koumane said they now have ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) passports which is a step in the right direction.

He said they have regional projects like roads from Mali to Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

"We are now building roads, rail and ports. This is not for the sake of building but for social economic development to link the people from point of production, consumption and even export," Koumane said.

Nicholas Mitsos from the Chinese Overseas Infrastructure Development and Investment Corporation said African countries must accelerate regional projects especially infrastructural ones for the economic growth.

Mitsos said, "Africa needs to stop talking and get to work on their infrastructural projects. This would connect their manufacturing industries, urban areas and improve their GDP."

He said Africa could learn from China who has made great changes through developing rail, roads, ports and factories to employ more people and develop economic zones. Endit