 | Economic Community of Central African States: Encyclopedia II - Economic Community of Central African States - History and background
Economic Community of Central African States - History and background
██ ECCAS-only members
██ CEMAC and ECCAS members
At a summit meeting in December 1981, the leaders of the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (UDEAC) agreed in principle to form a wider economic community of Central African states. ECCAS was established on 18 October 1983 by the UDEAC members, Sao Tomé and Principe and the members of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes States (CEPGL established in 1976 by the DR Congo, Burundi and Rwanda). Angola remained an observer until 1999, when it became a full member. ECCAS began functioning in 1985, but was inactive for several years because of financial difficulties (non-payment of membership fees by the member states) and the conflict in the Great Lakes area. The war in the DR Congo was particularly divisive, as Rwanda and Angola fought on opposing sides. ECCAS has been designated a pillar of the African Economic Community (AEC), but formal contact between the AEC and ECCAS was only established in October 1999 due to the inactivity of ECCAS since 1992 (ECCAS signed the Protocol on Relations between the AEC and the regional blocs (RECs) in October 1999). The AEC again confirmed the importance of ECCAS as the major economic community in Central Africa at the third preparatory meeting of its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in June 1999.
Economic Community of Central African States - Second Extra Ordinary Summit of ECCAS
Presided over by President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi, the summit was held in Libreville on 6 February 1998. The Heads of State and Government present at the summit committed themselves to the resurrection of the organisation. The Prime Minister of Angola also indicated that his country would become a fully fledged member. The summit approved a budget of 10 million French Francs for 1998 and requested the Secretariat to:
- Obtain assistance from UNECA to evaluate the operational activities of the secretariat; to evaluate the contributions due by member states; and the salaries and salary structures of employees of the secretariat
- Convene an extra-ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers as soon as possible to evaluate the recommendations of UNECA; the Council should then draw up proposals for a new administrative structure for the secretariat and revised contributions due by each member state.
The summit also requested countries in the region to find lasting and peaceful solutions to their political problems. The chairman also appealed to member countries to support the complete lifting of the embargo placed on his country.
During the inauguration of President Bongo of Gabon on 21 January 1999, a mini-summit of ECCAS leaders was held. The leaders discussed problems concerning the functioning of ECCAS and the creation of a third Deputy Secretary-General post, designated for Angola. Angola formally joined the Community during this summit.
Economic Community of Central African States - 10th Session of Heads of State and Government
The 10th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government took place in Malabo in June 2002. This Summit decided to adopt a protocol on the establishment of a Network of Parliamentarians of Central Africa (REPAC) and to adopt the standing orders of the Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX), including the Defence and Security Commission (CDC), Multinational Force of Central Africa (FOMAC) and the Early Warning Mechanism of Central Africa (MARAC).
Rwanda was also officially welcomed upon its return as a full member of ECCAS.
Economic Community of Central African States - 11th Session of Heads of State and Government
The 11th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government in Brazzaville during January 2004 welcomed the fact that the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of a Mutual Security Pact in Central Africa (COPAX) had received the required number of ratifications to enter into force.
The Summit also adopted a declaration on the implementation of NEPAD in Central Africa as well as a declaration on gender equality.
Other related archives18 October, 1976, 1983, 1985, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 21 January, 23 June, 24 January, 6 February, 9 September, African Economic Community, African Union, Agricultural, Angola, August 2001, Bongo, Brazzaville, Burundi, CEMAC, CIA World Factbook, COPAX, Cameroon, Central, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Central American Common Market, Chad, Chiefs of Staff, Clearing House, Collective security, Common Market, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Communications, Congo, Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa, Culture, Customs, Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa, DR Congo, December 1981, Democratic Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East, East African Community, Economic Community of the Great Lakes States, Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, Education, Energy, Equatorial Guinea, European Union, Foreign ministers, Freedom of movement, French, French Francs, Gabon, Government, Great Lakes, Harmonization, Heads of State, Human resources, Industrial, Island, January 2000, January 2004, June 1999, June 2002, Landlocked, Least Advanced Countries, Libreville, Malabo, May 2005, Mutual Security Pact in Central Africa, NEPAD, Natural resources, Non-Tariff Trade Barriers, North, October 1999, October 2003, Operation Artemis, Pierre Buyoya, Portuguese, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tomé and Principe, Science, Southern Africa, Southern African Development Community, Spanish, São Tomé and Príncipe, Technology, Tourism, Trade, Trade bloc, Training, Transit, Transport, UNECA, United Nations, West, Yaoundé, brigade, budget, chairman, chiefs of staff, economic, embargo, formal, inauguration, monetary, monetary union, peacekeeping, regional blocs, security pact, the conflict, war
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History and background", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
