Ayariga advocates policies for Africa’s effective integration

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has stressed the need for greater harmonisation and standardisation of policies and laws for the continent to be well connected and integrated, particularly in the area of infrastructure.

He said state parties must agree on essential principles which would guide the promulgation of laws in key areas relating to infrastructure such as energy, investments, telecommunications, intellectual property and land acquisition.

Mr Ayariga, who was addressing delegates on the third day of the Africa Prosperity Dialogue (APD) in Accra last Saturday, said the effort might involve technical standards or rules for the regulators overseeing the key sectors.

Speaking on the topic; "Unlocking our single-market potential: Legislative pathways for advancing Africa’s infrastructure development," the Majority leader who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bawku Central Constituency urged delegates to examine how legislative frameworks and harmonisation were pivotal in addressing infrastructural challenges and realising the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He said for the AfCFTA to be effectively implemented, State parties would have to decide whether they would pursue proper integration through harmonisation of rules for specific sectors, or opt for a less desirable approach of mere cooperation.

Mr Ayariga said the risks and costs of poor regulatory harmonisation were felt in all areas of economic life globally, but were particularly acute in the case of Africa, where the need for expansion of the infrastructure base was acute.

He said harmonisation would require state actors to ensure that the guiding principles agreed on at the regional level were implemented effectively and seamlessly across the board.

“State parties must demonstrate their willingness, beyond ratification of the AfCFTA Protocols, to ensure enforcement and implementation of the principles and obligations stipulated in the

AfCFTA agreement and other regional legal documents. Harmonisation cannot be achieved where there are conflicts between national laws, the AfCFTA agreement and regional laws,” he emphasised.

The Majority Leader observed that the vision of harmonisation in Africa, propelled by the AfCFTA, could be severely threatened if member states could unilaterally and arbitrarily nullify rules and policies agreed on at the regional level through a national legislation or policy.

For a start, he said key sectors could be prioritised, as was the case in the European Union (EU), where primacy of the EU law applied in specific areas such as transport, single market, environment, and not in the areas of education, culture and tourism.