The new Regional Integration Policy and Strategy (RIPoS) is focused on creating larger, more attractive markets. At the same time, linking landlocked countries to international markets, plus supporting intra-African trade to foster the continent’s development.
Approved by the African Development Bank Group’s (AfDB) Board of Executive Directors in November it sets the regions strategy for 2014 to2023. Sylvain Maliko, Director for NEPAD, Regional Integration and Trade, says, “The RIPoS replaces the previous Regional Integration Strategy (RIS) and updates the Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration Policy of the AfDB. The RIPoS will guide the Bank’s support to countries and regional institutions in economic integration by leveraging the Bank’s role as a financier, catalyst and knowledge broker.
“It places increased emphasis on enhancing trade and industrial development in order to create jobs and foster inclusive growth. At the same time also placing more focus on ‘soft’ infrastructure issues such as trade facilitation, policy reforms and regional harmonization of policies and regulations related to infrastructure, trade and investment.”
