The heart of Central African sub-regional integration is currently beating in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. In a highly solemn atmosphere, the Inter-State Committee officially opened its working sessions on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
This crucial preparatory meeting serves as an indispensable milestone leading up to the 45th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Central African Economic Union – UEAC, which is scheduled to take place on June 13, 2026.
The opening ceremony began with a powerful performance of the CEMAC Anthem—a vibrant symbol of unity and the shared destiny of Central African nations—before moving into two major keynote addresses that set the strategic direction for the summit.
Speaking on behalf of the President of the CEMAC Commission, Baltasar Engongo Edjo’o, the Vice-President of the Commission, Charles Assamba Ongodo, expressed deep gratitude to the Congolese authorities, particularly President Denis Sassou Nguesso, the current Chairman of the CEMAC Conference of Heads of State, for the warm welcome and excellent arrangements in Brazzaville.
Painting a clear picture of the international climate, which is heavily impacted by the weakening of the multilateral system and the spillover effects of conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Vice-President highlighted the heightened vulnerability of regional economies to market volatility and security threats. In the face of these challenges, he urged the community to demonstrate unity, solidarity, resilience, and ambition to meet citizens’ expectations regarding job creation, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.
Mr. Charles Assamba Ongodo highlighted several ongoing structural reforms, including the transformation of the Commission, the return of community institutions to Bangui, the transition to program-budgeting, and the implementation of the PREF-CEMAC II economic recovery plan. However, he delivered an unequivocal warning regarding the financial viability of the community. He pointed out that the community budget’s heavy reliance on the Community Integration Tax – TCI, which constitutes nearly 60% of total revenue, combined with a chronic failure to collect these funds effectively, has triggered worsening cash flow crises.
This financial strain has led to severe salary arrears across regional institutions since December 2025. Consequently, the Vice-President reaffirmed the absolute necessity of rigorously enforcing the February 2016 Additional Act to ensure the immediate recovery of unpaid TCI dues.
Following this address, the President of the Inter-State Committee, Mr. Eric Mbende, delivered the official opening speech, laying out a rigorous roadmap for the preparatory meetings. He reminded the gathered experts of the immense responsibility resting on their shoulders over the coming days. The President praised the relevance of the agenda items, which cover critical areas such as financial governance, the modernization of national and regional statistical systems, and key community sector policies spanning tourism, telecommunications, mining policy, and aviation safety.
He called upon all delegates and senior officials to approach these complex files with insight and pragmatism, ensuring they formulate realistic, rock-solid recommendations to guide and streamline the decisions of the upcoming UEAC Council of Ministers.
With a dense agenda and high-stakes issues on the table, the sessions of the Inter-State Committee are continuing in Brazzaville under the banner of constructive dialogue and a shared determination to advance sub-regional integration. The success of these preparatory debates will be vital in ensuring that Central African nations can collectively insulate themselves from global economic shocks while building a more legally and financially stable community.
As the countdown to the June 13 ministerial council begins, the experts in Brazzaville remain focused on turning institutional reforms into tangible socio-economic progress for the entire region
