Emmanuel Kendemeh
27 October 2009
Heads of State and governments of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) known by its french acronym as CEEAC, met on October 24 in Kinshasa.
The Heads of State and Governments of the 10-member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), during their 14th conference last October 24 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo reflected on and took pertinent decisions to foster peace, security, stability and the physical, economic and monetary integration of the Central African Sub-region. Cameroon's Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang, the representative of President Paul Biya led the country's delegation to the Kinshasa discussions.
The 14th conference of Heads of State and Governments was presided over by President Joseph Kabila Kabange of the Democratic Republic of Congo, outgoing chairperson of the sub-regional organisation. The Central African Sub-regional Heads of State in the final communiqué confided the presidency of ECCAS to Chad and agreed that the 15th conference of the organisation will take place in Chad in 2010.
The CEEAC Heads of State and Governments with regard to the pertinent issue of peace, security and stability in the sub-region in the final communiqué, encouraged member States to take measures to enhance the advancement of the democratisation process and peaceful settlement of conflicts. Heads of State and Governments took a firm decision on the implantation of the Regional Centre for the Maritime Security of Central Africa. The structure would help in putting in place strategies for the security of vital interests of CEEAC members in the sea and in the Gulf of Guinea. They also decided to put in place a mechanism to finance the strategy and organisation of the International Maritime Conference.
The ECCAS leaders within the efforts to enhance economic and monetary integration, decided to institutionalise the annual meeting of Governors of Central and National Banks of member States. While appreciating the progress in drawing up the Common Agricultural Policy and in updating the Regional Programme on Food Security, the Heads of State and Governments decided to create the Special Fund for Agricultural Development. The conference was also an occasion to appreciate the progress of work in road infrastructure projects such as the bridge on the railway line between Brazzaville and Kinshasa and the extension of the railway line from Kinshasa to Ilebo, the Ouesso-Sangmelima road linking the Republic of Congo and Cameroon and the bridge on River Oubangui between Bangui and Zongo.
On the pertinent issue of climate change, the focus of the UN Summit to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009, the CEEAC Heads of State and Governments endorsed the sub-region's position drawn up by the Council of Ministers in charge of Forest, Environment and Planning, stating that it will be integrated into the position of the entire African continent. The leaders also engaged to put in the necessary efforts to fight the drying off of Lake Chad. Other issues discussed concerned the building of CEEAC head office and decision to institutionalise the annual Council of the Ministers in charge of Health.
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