Under of the theme: The African Economic Integration the 54th annual meetings of the African Development Bank in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

From 11 to 14 June 2019, Malabo, the Equatorial Guinean capital city hosts the 54th annual meetings of the African Development Bank (AfDB). The meetings, whose theme was: «Regional Integration for Africa’s Economic Prosperity,» took place at the Sipopo Conference Center.

Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo opened the ceremonies of those 54th AfDB meetings. He hailed the AfDB’s actions in favor of Africa’s integration. He encou- raged the AfDB Group to enlarge those actions.

Regional integration

Discussing the meetings’ theme, the participants stressed the need to continue efforts to achieve the goal of an integrated African eco- nomy. That integration will boost growth and general welfare. They stressed that «regional integration remains one of the AfDB Group’s major comparative advantages.” The meetings’ final declaration read: «We urge the AfDB to conti- nue the initiatives underway, with

a focus on: investments in quality infrastructure; strengthened dia- logue and support for the harmo- nization of policies and regula- tory frameworks; investments in projects with a regional footprint that promote peace and security.” Moreover, the participants urged «the AfDB to continue to work with the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to accele- rate Africa’s integration, econo- mic and social transformation, particularly with a view on the entry into force of the Agreement Establishing the Continental Free Trade Area, which is expected to enhance growth, competitiveness and business climate, and ensure increased investment and deve- lopment of global value chains at

regional and continental level.”