Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) was formed in 1983 by the Treaty Establishing the Economic Community of Central African States. It has the primary objectives of promoting Member States’ economic and social development and improving people’s living conditions. Article 4 of the Treaty provides that the Community’s objectives are to:
• Achieve collective autonomy
• Raise the standard of living of its populations
• Maintain economic stability through harmonious cooperation.

The 1999 Malabo Heads of State and Government Conference set out four priority fields for the organisation. These are to: develop capacities to maintain peace, security and stability as essential prerequisites for economic and social development; develop physical, economic and monetary integration; develop a culture of human integration; and establish an autonomous financing mechanism for ECCAS.

Evolution

The ECCAS Treaty was signed in October 1983 in Libreville, Gabon, and entered into force in December 1984. Following internal crises in many member states, ECCAS ceased activities between 1992 and 1998. ECCAS was revitalised by a Heads of State and Government decision at the 1998 Summit in Libreville.

Structure

ECCAS is governed by its Conference of Heads of State and Government, which is the supreme organ. Its structure also includes the:
• Council of Ministers, which oversees policy implementation
• General Secretariat, which fulfils the Community’s executive functions
• Court of Justice, which has the jurisdiction to rule on the legality of decisions, directives and regulations of the Community

• Technical specialised committees, which formulate policy recommendations in thematic areas
• Consultative Commission, which operates at expert level to support research and implementation of ECCAS programmes and decisions.

ECCAS also has three specialized agencies, the:

• Energy Pool of Central Africa
• Commission of Forests of Central Africa
• Regional Committee of the Gulf of Guinea Fishing.

Members (10)

Angola,  Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad. Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe