Tanzania has reiterated its commitment to deepening regional and continental integration, with Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Minister, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the 7th African Union (AU) Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo.
The summit, which brought together African Heads of State, Foreign Ministers, and leaders of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), focused on accelerating economic integration and advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda.
Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, officially opened the summit, underscoring the importance of aligning regional priorities and building effective collaboration frameworks to promote intra-African trade and shared growth.
Speaking during the opening session, President Mbasogo called on member states to intensify efforts toward integration, particularly through practical implementation of the AfCFTA.
He described the Coordination Meeting as a crucial platform for reviewing areas of cooperation and harmonizing regional and international policies to drive sustainable development across the continent.
AU Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, emphasized the need for AU member states to reform domestic tax policies to increase revenue generation.
“We must take bold steps to boost our internal capacity. Strengthening national tax systems will reduce our reliance on external financing and position Africa on a stronger financial footing,” he said.
In his address, AU Chairperson and President of Angola,João Lourenço, urged African countries to resolve conflicts through African-led solutions.
He announced that a special session of African leaders will be convened in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to examine the root causes of persistent conflicts and propose concrete strategies to end them.
He further stressed the role of innovation and science in transforming Africa’s development landscape. “Africa must invest in scientific research and innovation to compete globally and meet the aspirations of our people,” President Lourenço added.
The Malabo meeting also received updates on regional integration efforts, including the role of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and progress on implementing the AU’s 2025 theme.
Deliberations also covered the division of responsibilities between the AU, member states, and regional blocs, and the coordination of policy agendas between the AU and RECs.
The AU officially recognizes eight regional blocs, namely: the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).
Tanzania, as an active member of both the EAC and SADC, has continued to play a key role in pushing for deeper integration and economic cooperation within the region and across the continent.
The AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting remains the highest decision-making body on regional integration, providing a platform to streamline the implementation of continental priorities in line with Agenda 2063.