Harmonise policies, laws for effective African integration – Majority Leader

The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has underscored the need for greater harmonisation and standardisation of policies and laws to enhance connectivity and integration across Africa, particularly in infrastructure development.

He emphasised that state parties must agree on essential principles to guide the formulation of laws in key sectors such as energy, investments, telecommunications, intellectual property, and land acquisition.

Addressing delegates on the third day of the Africa Prosperity Dialogue (APD) in Accra today (Saturday, February 1, 2025), Mr Ayariga noted that such efforts may involve technical standards or regulations for oversight bodies governing these critical 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 could address infrastructural challenges and facilitate the realisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He stressed that for the AfCFTA to be effectively implemented, state parties must decide whether to pursue proper integration governance through the harmonisation of sector-specific regulations or settle for a less effective approach of mere cooperation.

Mr Ayariga pointed out that the risks and costs associated with poor regulatory harmonisation were evident worldwide but were particularly severe in Africa, where the demand for infrastructure expansion was pressing.

He stated that harmonisation would require state actors to ensure that the guiding principles agreed upon at the regional level were implemented effectively and seamlessly across all jurisdictions.

“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 cautioned that the vision of harmonisation under the AfCFTA could be significantly undermined if member states were able to unilaterally nullify regionally agreed rules and policies through national legislation or policies.

As a starting point, he suggested that priority sectors be identified, as seen in the European Union (EU), where EU law takes precedence in specific areas such as transport, the single market, and the environment, while sectors like education, culture, and tourism remain under national jurisdiction.