At the Maputo Summit in 2003 the AU Commission was requested to accelerate the preparation of a new draft Protocol on Relations between the African Union and the RECs.
[2] At the July 2007 Accra summit the AU Assembly adopted a Protocol on Relations between the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities.
[3] This protocol is intended to facilitate the harmonisation of policies and ensure compliance with the Abuja Treaty and Lagos Plan of Action time frames.
This multiple and confusing membership creates duplication and sometimes competition in activities, while placing additional burdens on already over-stretched foreign affairs staff to attend all the various summits and other meetings.
[4] Moreover, there are additional regional economic cooperation bodies not officially recognised by the African Union as RECs, including: Other regional cooperation structures not necessarily focused on economic integration also have some overlapping authority, including: The internal capability of the RECs varies considerably, with ECOWAS, SADC and EAC the most developed.