Moi Stresses Role Of Trade
Story Filed: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 9:10 PM EST
Nairobi (The Nation, February 29, 2000) - Africa's regional economic groups are the
building blocks for continental unity, President Moi said yesterday. He said such regional
economic groupings as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) could
create the envisaged African Common Market. The President said the importance of economic
groupings had long been recognised way back in the 80s by African countries through the
Lagos Plan of Action and Protocol. President Moi, who is also Comesa chairman, was
addressing the body's first regional economic conference in Cairo, Egypt. Meanwhile,
President Moi arrived back home last evening from Egypt. The President's official jet
touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 5pm. The President
Vice-President Geroge Saitoti, Cabinet ministers and other dignitaries. He did not make a
speech at the airport. Before he got into the vehicle he remarked with a smile: "I
only left yesterday so I have nothing." In his address in Cairo, he called for
strengthening of peace, eradication of poverty and disease and equitable distribution of
development benefits accrued from economic cooperation. The Kenyan leader said Comesa
would play a complementary role to institutions such as IGAD, SADC and OAU in seeking
continental peace. He noted that the fourth summit of the Comesa authority held in Nairobi
last year deliberated on the devastating impact of wars and conflicts in the region. The
Kenyan head of State told the conference that free movement of goods, services and people
was impossible if nations were at war or political conflicts and violence abounded. For
this reason, President Moi said Comesa was keen to see peace return to Somalia,
southern Sudan and the Great Lakes region. President Moi, however, cautioned that the
pursuit of continental unity would require strong will, mutual trust and hard work to be
realised. President Moi urged the continent to set its vision on building Africa's stature
in the community of nations so that she could assume her rightful place in the global
economy. He noted that economic integration was unstoppable. President Moi cited regional
economic programmes which now cover broad areas such as Customs cooperation, monetary
affairs, trade, investment promotion, infrastructural development and transport. He cited
the reduction of tariffs by majority of members by between 60 and 90 per cent for goods
originating from Comesa member countries, while most non-tariff barriers had been
eliminated altogether. By Nation Correspondent Copyright 2000 The Nation. Distributed via
Africa News Online.
Copyright © 2000, Africa News Service, all rights reserved.
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