Regional Economic

Communities (RECs)
The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are regional groupings of
African states. The RECs have developed individually and have differing
roles and structures. Generally, the purpose of the RECs is to facilitate
regional economic integration between members of the individual regions
and through the wider African Economic Community (AEC), which was
established under the Abuja Treaty (1991). The 1980 Lagos Plan of Action
for the Development of Africa and the Abuja Treaty proposed the creation
of RECs as the basis for wider African integration, with a view to regional
and eventual continental integration. The RECS are increasingly involved in
coordinating AU Member States’ interests in wider areas such as peace and
security, development and governance.

The RECs are closely integrated with the AU’s work and serve as its
building blocks. The relationship between the AU and the RECs is mandated
by the Abuja Treaty and the AU Constitutive Act, and guided by the: 2008
Protocol on Relations between the RECs and the AU; and the Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Area of Peace and Security
between the AU, RECs and the Coordinating Mechanisms of the Regional
Standby Brigades of Eastern and Northern Africa.

The AU recognises eight RECs, the:

• Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
• Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN–SAD)
• East African Community (EAC)
• Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)
• Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)2
• Southern African Development Community (SADC)