Agenda 2063 Flagship Projects (Part 3 of 6) – Lowering barriers to intra-African movement

In this third publication of the overview of Agenda 2063 flagship projects. We bring you an Africa where fellow Africans can travel Visa Free and while you still have the option of travelling by air at significantly reduced costs, you also will have the added option of hopping on a train in the capital city of one African country to travel to the capital city of another. With these pictures in mind, below is an overview of the Integrated High Speed Train Network flagship project, African Passport and free movement of people flagship project and the establishment of a Single African Air-Transport Market flagship project.

Continental High-Speed Train Network

A reliable train network is a good thing. A high speed train network is even better as it saves time. Put these two together and throw in the words “integrated” and “continental” and the continental high speed train network is self-explanatory.

The Africa Integrated High-Speed Railway Network Project is designed to connect African capitals, economic and other industrial hubs as well as major tourism locations with appropriate high-speed rail technology and other complementary electricity/power, and ICT broadband infrastructure and services (Ref-5).

 

The main objectives of the Africa Integrated High-Speed Railway Network are aimed at economically and physically integrating the continent (Ref-6). These include:

Interconnection of landlocked countries

The network will connect the 16 landlocked countries in Africa to major seaports and neighbouring countries.

Connect different regions of the African continent

Establish the interoperability of railways across different regions of the continent making intra Africa train travel easier.

Establish Trans-Africa beltways

Another objective is to establish east-west, north-south line bridges offering shorter alternatives to marine transport

Connect capitals and economic hubs thus enabling the benefits of the AfCFTA

Connecting capitals and economic hub reduces the barrier to movement of people and this will drive economic growth, help boost intra Africa trade, and lowering prices of goods, services and transport.

 

Free Movement Of All Persons And African Passport

If we could summarise the high level objective of all of these flagship projects, it will be that the African Union is embarking on a series of medium to long term flagship initiatives for the purposes of achieving  three objectives i.e. cohesion, integration and development amongst African citizens, states and regional economic communities. The free movement of all persons and African passport helps fulfil all three objectives and more. 

The Free Movement of Persons in Africa is an aspiration for the continent that is framed by a collective visionary foresight of the African Union which aims to build an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent driven by its own citizens. The Free movement of persons and African passport serves as a vehicle to achieve the above by transforming Member states laws and policies which tend to restrictive to confining borders from what they currently are into ones that promote integration of economies (Ref-20).

 

The African passport was successfully launched in July 2016 at the 27^th session of the African Union Assembly of heads of state and Government (Ref-20), and the guidelines on its design, production and issuance was (Ref-21) was adopted by the AU Assembly in February 2019. 

The protocol relating to the Free Movement of persons (officially known as “The Protocol to the Treaty on the Establishment of the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment“ has also been adopted by the Assembly (January 2018). 

 

Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM)

The beginnings of this flagship project goes all the way back to the year 1999 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire where 44 member states of the African union endorsed what is widely referred to as the Yamoussoukro decision (UL-1).

The Yamoussoukro decision was a treaty that allowed for open skies amongst certain African countries (i.e. those who are bound by the treaty). Fast forward to 2018, the Single African Air Transport Market was launched to implement the Yamoussoukro decision.

 

The SAATM is an initiative of the African Union to create a single unified air transport market in Africa, the liberalisation of civil aviation in Africa and as an impetus to the Continent’s economic integration agenda (Ref-4). The objective of this flagship project is to liberalise intra-African air transport through the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision, to improve air connectivity and lower fares, ensuring the sustainable development of air transport in Africa and its contribution to economic growth, job creation and integration of the Continent.

A full implementation of SAATM will see the abolition of bilateral air service agreement between bounded member states for intra African traffic with airlines able to fly any intra African routes because the African airspace will dissolve into a common aviation area across the continent (restricted to member states that are bound by the treaty). 

 

 

 

References (Ref)

1. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/trade/publication/the-african-continental-free-trade-area
2. AfCFTA a tralac guide 6th edition November 2019
3. https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-530107183/african-commodities-strategy-value-addition-for-global
4. The Single African Air Transport Market – PIDA
5. https://www.nepad.org/agenda-2063/flagship-project/continental-high-speed-train-network
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS9sPp0H5F8&feature=emb_logo
7. https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20181214/auc-convenes-pan-african-e-network-paen-assembly-parties
8. https://www.pambazuka.org/pan-africanism/africa-pan-african-e-network-model-“south-south-cooperation”
9. First Continental Report on the Implementation of Agenda 2063 February 2020 – African Union (AU) and African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)
10. https://ccdcoe.org/organisations/au/
11. https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/doc/2018/personal-data-protection-guidelines-for-africa/
12. https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20191212/african-union-cybersecurity-expert-group-holds-its-first-inaugural-meeting
13. https://au.int/en/newsevents/20191220/official-launch-pan-african-virtual-and-e-university-paveu
14. African Space Policy – African Union (HRST/STC-EST/Exp./15 (II)
15. https://www.africaportal.org/features/creating-greater-inclusion-african-space-agency/
16. Statute of the African Space Agency (Article 2)
17. https://au.int/en/agenda2063/flagship-projects
18. Silencing the Gune, Owning the Future: Realising a conflict-free Africa – ACCORD (African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes)
19. https://gga.org/silencing-the-guns/
20. https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/reports/37472-rp-pa25606_e_original_004_ff.pdf
21. https://au.int/sites/default/files/pressreleases/31182-pr-pr_20_-_african_union_passport_launched_during_opening_of_27th_au_summit_in_kigali.pdf
22. https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/35139-wd-guidelinesfinal_copy_2_1-edited_final_version.pdf
23. https://au.int/en/financial-institutions
24. https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36414-treaty-0038_-_protocol_on_the_african_investment_bank_e.pdf
25. https://www.african-markets.com/en/news/africa/focus-on-the-african-exchanges-linkage-project-aelp
26. Agenda 2063 First Ten Year Implementation Plan 2014-2023 – The African Union Commission 
27. African Economic Platform Report (Mauritius, 20-22 March 2017)
28. https://www.au-pida.org/view-project/324/
29. Department of Energy Republic of South Africa – Grand Inga Treaty
30. ADOPTION OF THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA AFRICANA PROJECT (EAP) – African Union Assemble 22^nd Ordinary session (30-31 January 2014)
31. ENCYCLOPAEDIA AFRICANA PROJECT – DOCUMENTING AFRICAN HISTORY TOWARDS DURABLE SOLUTIONS TO AFRICAN CHALLENGES INCLUDING FORCED DISPLACEMENT – 34^th Ordinary session of the Executive Council (07-08 February 2019)

 

For more information relating to the free trade area click the useful Links (UL) below:

1. https://afcac.org/en/images/Documentation/yd_eng.pdf
2. https://www.nepad.org/agenda-2063/flagship-project/african-commodity-strategy
3. https://www.nepad.org/agenda-2063/flagship-project/african-continental-free-trade-area-afcfta
4. https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-530107183/african-commodities-strategy-value-addition-for-global
5. https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/33100-wd-6a-brochure_on_single_african_air_transport_market_english.pdf
6. https://afcac.org/en/images/Documentation/yd_eng.pdf
7. https://www.tralac.org/documents/resources/african-union/1506-the-single-african-air-transport-market-pida-brochure-2017/file.html
8. https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/38223-wd-progress_report_on_the_implemenation_of_agenda_2063_eng.pdf
9. https://au.int/en/treaties/african-union-convention-cyber-security-and-personal-data-protection
10. https://pau-au.africa
11. https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36403-treaty-protocol_on_free_movement_of_persons_in_africa_e.pdf