Forum calls for decoupling of Regional Integration from Foreign Affairs

Accra, June 15, GNA - Participants at the end of a Regional Integration Policy Dialogue have called for the separation of the Regional Integration Ministry from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure commitment and dedication to work.

A communiqué issued by the participants said for Ghana to benefit from the ECOWAS agenda and to sustain her highly cherished historic leadership role in Pan-Africanism, regionalism and African unity, there was the critical need to review the merged ministries.

It cited the success of the East African Community, arguably the most progressive regional economic community in Africa, which was fast developing into East African Federation as a result of the establishment of the Ministry of East African Community Affairs in each member state.

The two-day forum was organised by the Centre for Regional Integration in Africa in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation on the theme; 'Bringing ECOWAS Home for National Development' and chaired by Mr James Victor Gbeho, past President of the ECOWAS Commission.

The objective of the policy dialogue was to facilitate the much needed interface between policy makers and national stakeholders from the private sector and civil society to promote awareness and to generate consensus with a view to accelerating the domestication of the ECOWAS agenda for national development.

The communiqué said the merged ministry could not ensure the domestication, implementation and monitoring of regional initiatives within member states of ECOWAS to benefit the citizens.

It said the focus and structure of the current Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not on development and integration but on consular matters and external relations with foreign countries.

It said the diplomatic personnel of ministries of Foreign Affairs was thus handicapped in handling integration issues particularly as the officers had career expectations of being posted abroad to build a career in the field of diplomacy.

Given the impact of the deepening of the ECOWAS integration process at the national level, the transformation of the Executive Secretariat into a Commission in 2007, adoption of 'Vision 2020' and the African Union Agenda 2063, the concept of ECOWAS national offices merging with ministries would appear to be a misnomer, if not an anachronism, the communiqué said.

It recommended that the ECOWAS countries should add value to their raw materials through industrialisation adding that Ghana's one district, one factory concept was a step in the right direction.

GNA

By Iddi Yire, GNA