AFRICAN INTEGRATION
About Us
The Centre
The Centre for Regional Integration is a leading thinktank and advisory firm with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of Africa specialising in Regional Integration, Trade, Business and Investment. We operate from our Nairobi and Johannesburg hubs but with a network of experts across the Continent. We have carried out research, advised, designed and delivered training across the Continent for International Organisations, Regional Communities, Governments, the Private Sector, Civil Society and Academic Institutions over the past 10 years and we remain their partner of choice.
Our wealth: Our Experience Our Expertise and, Our Contacts
We are Africa’s biggest concentration of experience and expertise on Regional Integration, Trade, Business and Investment. We possess first-hand contacts in governments and regional communities across the Continent. We understand Africa and we know how it works.
A Source of Independent, Candid and Trusted Analysis
The Centre carries out independent and rigorous analysis of critical Continental, regional and country-specific challenges and opportunities. Our insight is unique and we are unrivalled on the African scene.
What we do
Capacity Building in Regional Integration and Trade
Political Economy and Risk Analysis
Trade and Economic Development Advisory
Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
Business and Investment Strategy
Programme Design, Monitoring and Evaluation
Policy Research and Advisory
Executive Training
Our Training
We train
- Public Sector Officials: Regional Organisations and Governments
- Private Sector Leaders, Strategists, Influencers and Media
- Academic Institutions and Civil Society
To
- Better understand themselves, their regions and operating environment
- Tackle complex challenges on the African continent
- Make sound and well informed decisions
Some of our Programmes
- Regional Integration and Trade
- Business and Investment in Africa
- Key Issues in Doing Business in Africa
- Trade and Investment Opportunities on the Continent
- Trade Facilitation and Logistics
- Trade Development and Competitiveness
- Negotiation Skills
- Personal and Workplace Etiquette, Effective Communication and Basic Protocol
Strategic Communications
Publications
African Integration
East African Integration Review
Know the AfCFTA Series
Coming soon: The AfCFTA Rules of Origin by Wanyama Masinde and Unami Tlhole. This publication answers the question: How and what can I export within the AfCFTA? The authors use easy-to-read non-technical language
Insights
A peek into the upcoming African Union elections
Our Projects
Africa Regional Integration Studies Association - ARISA
Annual Regional Integration Conference
Our People
Amos Wako
NAIROBI, KENYA
Advisor – CEFRI
Senator Amos Wako – member of the Kenya Senate – is Kenya’s and East Africa’s longest serving Attorney General. Senator Wako was the Government’s Chief Legal Adviser during the negotiations, signing and ratification of the EAC Treaty and the COMESA Treaty; as well as being involved in many other regional frameworks. Kenya also joined CEN-SAD and other inter-governmental frameworks during his tenure, 1991-2011. Hon. Wako holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of London, A Bachelor of Laws from the University College Dar es salaam, and a Master of Laws from the University of London. Hon. Wako is also a Senior Counsel and a Member, United Nations’ International Law Commission.
Anthony Kafumbe
KAMPALA, UGANDA - ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Co-Editor: East African Integration Review
Dr. Anthony Luyirika Kafumbe is the current Counsel to the East African Community where he had previously served as a Principal Legal Officer. Before moving to the EAC, Anthony was a Lecturer at Makerere University Faculty of Law and also served as Senior State Attorney in the Ministry of Justice in Kampala, Uganda. He is the principal legal advisor to the Community. He renders legal advice and facilitates the formulation and interpretation of laws for all the organs and institutions of the East African Community. Besides providing legal advice, he facilitates policy organ meetings and conducts legal research on international and national laws on matters relevant to the Community. Anthony, who has published extensively, holds a Law degree from Makerere University, Uganda, a DIP.LP (Law Development Centre, Uganda), a DIP. W.L (University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe), a DIP. ESHRW (University of Lund, Sweden), LLM (University of Pretoria, South Africa), MBA (Eastern and Southern African Management Institute, Arusha, Tanzania) and a PhD (University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom).
Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha
NAIROBI, KENYA
Advisor – CEFRI
Prof. Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha, a consummate educationist and playwright, is Chair of the Commission for University Education, Kenya. He is the founding Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), an East African Community institution, and of the Kenya Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). He has also held various positions at Universities in Kenya. As well as serving as Research Professor at the Institute of Regional Integration and Development of the Catholic University of East Africa, he also served as founding Principal the Laikipia University College which is now a university. Prof. Chacha studied at Kenyatta University in Kenya and at the University of Yale.
Deborah Osiro
NAIROBI, KENYA
Administration Manager – CEFRI
Ms. Deborah Osiro, a trade lawyer, has wide experience in research, policy analysis and provision of consultancy services to national governments, international organisations and other non-state actors in a range of human security areas. These include work in international trade law, regional integration, economic and national security. Deborah previously worked at the Institute for Security Studies, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS India) and the Kenya Civil Service. She has also consulted for the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Kenya, IGAD, UNCTAD and UNICEF among others. Deborah holds an LL.M in EU International Trade Law.
Djénéba Traoré
MALI, BAMAKO - PRAIA, CABO VERDE
West Africa Editor – African Integration
Prof. Djénéba Traoré is currently the Director General at the West Africa Institute (WAI), Praia, Cabo Verde. She previously served as Rector of the University of Literature and Humanities in Bamako (Mali), Senior Advisor in charge of Communication at the Ministry of National Education of Mali, Expert of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) on the Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas Programme, Secretary General of the National Commission in charge of Qualifications at the National Directorate of Higher Education and Member of the Task-Force in charge of the creation the University of Mali. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Integration of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) from the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Montreal (Canada) and a Ph.D from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Enos S. Bukuku
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Economic Advisor – CEFRI
Dr. Enos Bukuku is an Economist and former Deputy Secretary General (Planning and Infrastructure) of the East African Community. He was previously Deputy Governor of the Bank of Tanzania and Economics Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Erastus J.O. Mwencha
NAIROBI, KENYA
Chair – CEFRI
H.E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, a leading Pan-Africanist, is a public sector and business leader, with over thirty years of progressive experience in policy formulation and institutional transformation at national, regional and continental levels in Africa. Throughout his career, he has been an ardent advocate and zealous engineer of regional integration as a leading principle for Africa’s development. Mr. Mwencha is currently the Chair of the ACBF Executive Board. He is also the Chair of the Board of Equity Bank (Kenya) Ltd and TradeMark East Africa. He was previously the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). During his time at the AUC, he oversaw the administration and finance of the Commission as its Controlling Officer, supervised the development of two AUC Strategic Plans (2009-12) and (2012-17) and participated in the development of Africa’s long-term vision of Agenda 2063. He also developed institutional cooperation between the World Bank and the African Union, leading to the roll out of the successful Institution and Capacity Building Program for the AU and implemented the Joint Support Office for the Secretariat for the partnership of ECA, AFDB and the AUC. Before joining the African Union Commission, he was the Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) from May 1998 to April 2008 where he previously served in various capacities including Acting Secretary General, Director of Industry, Energy and Environment and Senior Industrial Expert. At COMESA, Mr Mwencha was instrumental in leading COMESA into becoming the first regional body on the continent to achieve a Free Trade Area (COMESA FTA) in 2000. He represented the region in negotiating the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPAs) with European Union (EU), the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization, as well as in promoting the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for the benefit of the region’s stakeholders. Prior to COMESA, Mr. Mwencha also served the Ministry of Industry of the Government of Kenya as Head of Industrial Promotion Department and Secretary to Industrial Sciences Advisory Research Committee (ISARC) and the Kenyan Industrial Survey and Promotion Centre as a Senior Economist. Mr. Mwencha graduated from the University of York with an MA Economics and University of Nairobi with a B.A. (Hons) in Economics.
Exley Silumbu
BLANTYRE, MALAWI
Economic Advisor
Dr. Exley B. D. Silumbu, who has consulted widely, teaches Economics at Chancellor College, University of Malawi. His area of focus incudes macroeconomics, international Economics, monetary economics and development economics.
Hajer Gueldich
TUNIS, TUNISIA
North Africa Editor – African Integration
Prof. Hajer Gueldich teaches International Law at the University of Carthage in Tunisia. She is an elected Member and General Rapporteur of the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL). She is also a member of the Team of Experts led by President Paul Kagame on the Institutional Reform of the African Union. Hajer consults in International Law, International Criminal Law and Regional Integration Law. She is a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Angers (France), Venezia (Italy) and the Pan-African University (Cameroon). At the University of Carthage, she heads the Centre of Research in International Law, International Jurisdictions and Comparative Constitutional Law. She is also member of several associations and civil society organizations in Tunisia and abroad such as the Tunisian Association of Political Studies, the Association of Studies in the Democratic Transition and the International Legal Network. She speaks Arabic, French, English and Italian.
John E. Ruhangisa
ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Co-Editor: East African Integration Review
Prof. John Ruhangisa, a Law Professor, is former Tanzanian High Court Judge and founding Registrar of the East African Court of Justice. He managed to combine both judicial and academic work by also teaching at the Faculty of Law, University of Dar es Salaam from 1998 to 2001 when he moved to Arusha to establish the East African Court of Justice. While in Arusha, he participated in establishing the Faculty of Law, Makumira University in 2005 where he teaches to date. John has been providing visiting professorships to various Universities in addition to writing and publishing in areas of constitutional law, integration and development areas among others. He is a graduate of the University of Dar es Salaam for his LL.B and LL.M Degrees. Besides, John holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in law from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Joseph V. Ntuda Ebode
YAOUNDÉ, CAMEROON
President – ARISA
Prof. Joseph Ntuda, a full Professor International Security and Defence , is Director of the Centre for Research in Political and Strategic Studies (CREPS) at the University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon. He has just completed his term as founding Director of the Pan-African University Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences. Prof. Ntuda has also served the University as Dean of the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences and as Director of Academic Affairs and Cooperation. Prof. Ntuda is widely published in the fields of International Relations and Strategic Studies as well as African Integration. He studied at the Institute of Political Studies in Grenoble, France, the Institute of Political Studies in Lyon and at the Institute of Political Studies in Lyon.
Juma V. Mwapachu
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Co-Chair: CEFRI
Amb. Juma Mwapachu, a leading Pan-Africanist, has held a number of senior positions in both the public and private sector of Tanzania, East Africa and beyond. He is the current Chair of the Board of Tanzania’s Exim Bank. He is also the global President of the Society for International Development (SID) and former Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC). He also serves in several boards in the insurance sector. Amb. Mwapachu is an entrepreneurial leader who has been devoted to creating new government bodies, businesses and learning institutions. Over the years, he spearheaded the launch of various institutions like the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) and the East African Business Council (EABC) for which he is the founding Chair. Amb. Mwapachu is credited for scaling up the East African Community’s integration by seeing through the enlargement of the Community with the admission of Rwanda and Burundi into the EAC in July 2007, consolidating the Customs Union and administering a complex negotiations process leading to the adoption of the Protocol on the EAC Common Market. Prior to this appointment as Secretary General of the EAC in 2006, Amb. Mwapachu served as Tanzania’s Ambassador to France, with accreditations to Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. With a keen interest and involvement in the private sector and civil society, Amb. Mwapachu has, during his career, sat on boards of directors/executive committees of various institutions and professional bodies and has held senior positions in Tanzania national private sector institutions and in civil society. In addition to his post as EAC Secretary General, Amb. Mwapachu was, between 2009 and 2011, Chair of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Task Force. Some of the achievements by the EAC under Amb. Mwapachu’s stewardship are: adoption of EAC Anthem – 2010; commencement of construction of EAC headquarters – 2010; launch of fully-fledged Customs Union – 2010; signing of Common Market Protocol – 2009; commemoration of EAC 10th Anniversary – 2009; accession of Rwanda and Burundi to EAC – 2007; and, launch of annual East African Media Summit – 2007. Amb. Mwapachu also recently served as Chair of the Governing Council of the University of Dodoma, the fastest growing public university in Africa. Amb. Mwapachu is a law graduate of the University of East Africa and of the Indian Academy of International Law and Diplomacy, New Delhi, India.
Lamin Jarju
ACCRA, GHANA - BANJUL, GAMBIA
Senior Economist
Mr. Lamin Jarju has long experience in economic policy management, including working at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia, which included secondment to the World Bank in Washington DC and over ten years at the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) in Accra, Ghana. Lamin has led work on six West African economies (The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) on issues relating to economic integration, including trade and monetary integration. He has been the Country Economist for The Gambia and Liberia, including participating in multilateral surveillance to monitor macroeconomic developments and convergence for economic integration in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ). In particular, Lamin initiates, contributes and coordinates the construction of the WAMZ Trade Integration Index, which assesses the relative effectiveness of trade policy implementation in WAMZ member states and identifies policy gaps and further helps to design measures to address the identified gaps. In 2014, Lamin contributed to and coordinated the preparation of the WAMZ Assessment Report on Trade and Transport Facilitation (2014) which highlighted trade barriers in the WAMZ, with a view to further integration of the area in ECOWAS, and subsequently prepared and presented the WAMZ annual trade integration report with three editions published to date. Lamin is also the focal point of the WAMZ Trade Ministers Forum, a high-level platform that seeks to promote good governance and trade integration and has so far successfully organized eight forums. Lamin was the rapporteur for WAMZ statutory meetings, WAMZ Trade Ministers’ Forums, ECOWAS-WAMI Joint Task Force on Trade Related Issues and Reporting. Lamin has prepared a number of country assistance strategy papers, poverty reduction strategies, macroeconomic policy frameworks, national reports on macroeconomic and trade integration, public investment programs, national budget, budget speeches, technical cabinet papers on national trade policy as well as concept papers on donor-supported analytical advisory services.
Malick Sané
DAKAR, SENEGAL
Co-Editor: African Integration
Advisor: Trade Policy/Trade Negotiations
Prof. Malick Sané is the Director of the Trade Policy Laboratory (LAPOCOM) of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FASEG) of the Cheikh Anta DIOP University in Dakar (UCAD), Senegal where he also leads the programme in International Trade and Negotiations. He is the author of several publications and conducts consultancy activities in the field of trade and environment. He has consulted for the International Trade Center (ITC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and ECOWAS. He has also been involved in policy formulation for the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) in Dakar. Prof. Sané has also served as a Visiting Professor at several higher education institutions, in Senegal and abroad, such as the United Nations Development and Planning Institute (IDEP) in Dakar and the Trade Policy Training Centre in Africa (TRAPCA) in Arusha, Tanzania.
Manuel Guilherme Júnior
MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE
Advisor: Business Law/Investment
Co-Secretary General – ARISA
Southern Africa Editor: African Integration
Dr. Manuel Guilherme Júnior, a business lawyer, is Director of the International Cooperation, Eduardo Mondlane University. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University’s Centre for Studies on Regional Integration and SADC Law – CEDIR – where he previously served as Director. He is also a Member of Superior Council for the Administration of The Judiciary (Equivalent of Judicial Service Commission), Mozambique. Besides, he serves in the University Council of the Eduardo Mondlane University as well as being a Member of the Management Boards of Several other institutions. He has consulted widely for the government, for SADC and for the UN.
Nana M. Tanko
ABUJA, NIGERIA
Advisor: Gender and Development
Prof. Nana Tanko brings on board extensive experience in civil society and regional integration. Nana is the co-founder, Deputy Director and head of research and training at the African Policy Research Institute (APRI), an independent Think Tank on development policies in Africa based in Abuja, Nigeria. She began her career with extensive work in higher education as an academic, teacher, researcher and administrator, before she moved into leadership and managerial positions in international development organizations. A Sociologist and Demographer by training, she was previously Dean of the College of Law, Management and Social Sciences at the University of Abuja. Nana has also served as the Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) for which she previously served as head of the Nigeria Country Office. Nana has also spent time at the UN Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP, Dakar) where she carried out research on the role of civil society in regional integration. Nana Tanko holds a doctorate degree in Development Studies with a specialisation in Population and Gender Studies from the School of Development Studies in the University of East Anglia. She also holds a Master’s of Science degree in Demography from the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London and an Honours Degree in Sociology from the Ahmadu Bello University Nigeria.
Naomi Gichuki
NAIROBI, KENYA
Programme Manager – ARISA
Dr. Naomi Gichuki is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over ten years’ professional work experience. An avid researcher, Naomi was a member of the World Bank’s Legal Research Team working on the Africa Mining Legislation Atlas (AMLA) project which studied mining laws in Africa; the IDLO’s CIFOR Project which looked into Low-Carbon initiatives in the mining and mineral sector in East Africa with a focus on Tanzania and Mozambique and GIZ’s study on Steering Regional Development through Regional Economic Communities in Africa among others. She has also presented papers at various national, regional and international seminars focused on the Extractives Industry and Regional Integration. Naomi’s specialization is in Natural Resource Governance and she studied in Kenya and at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Nkopane Makatse
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Business and Investment Expert
Mr. Nkopane Makatse is widely experienced in issues of business and investment. He most recently worked as Senior Operations Manager at Waterfall Investment Company in Johannesburg. Before this, Nkopane spent almost a decade at the National Treasury, Republic of South Africa, where he rose to the position of Director, African Economic Integration. Nkopane is also co-founder and Director of Thabeng Agricultural Solutions that is based in Johannesburg.
Salomon Nsabimana
BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI
Economist
Dr. Salomon Nsabimana teaches courses in Macroeconomics, Economic Policy and Planning and Public Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Management (FSEG), University of Burundi. He has also worked as a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Economic Development (IDEC) in Burundi where he focused on Macroeconomic Planning and Public Finance. Salomon has contributed a lot to economic issues and the planning process in Burundi where he has participated in various committees such as : the drafting of the report on the Burundian Economy since 2013, Development of the Post-2015 Agenda for Burundi, the Steering Committee for the drafting of the MDG Report in Burundi and the Technical Committee for Prioritizing the SDGs in Burundi, among others. Salomon has consulted for the World Bank, ACBF, AfDB, UNDP and CUTS Geneva) . With his experience in applied research, Salomon is active in high-level reflections on issues of national interest as well as regional issues at the East African community level and in COMESA which he has also supported. He is a founding member of the African Regional Integration Studies Association (ARISA).
Serge Loungou
LIBREVILLE, GABON
Central Africa Editor: African Integration
Expert: Political Economy/Risk Analysis
Prof. Serge Loungou researches Central Africa and teaches political geography at Université Omar Bongo (UOB) in Libreville, Gabon. Serge has written widely on political dynamics in the Great Lakes Region. He is a leading authority on the political economy of this vast region.
Sipho Khumalo
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
Advisor: Trade Facilitation/Logistics
Mr. Sipho Khumalo has wide experience serving in senior positions in government. He is an experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in trade facilitation within the SADC region. He just completed his term od service as CEO of the South African Cross-Border Roads Transport agency (C-BRTA). The C-BRTA is the government agency responsible for the regulation of cross-border road transport movements between South Africa and the neighbouring countries. Before assuming leadership at the C-BRTA, Mr. Khumalo Deputy Director General (DDG: Regulation and Safety) in the Department of Transport where he was responsible for regulatory and safety matters over all the modes of transport. Mr. Khumalo is skilled in Negotiation, Budgeting, Business Planning, Operations Management and Analytical Skills.
Tilahun Temesgen
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Senior Economist and East Africa Editor: African Integration
Dr. Tilahun Temesgen is currently the Chief Regional Economist at the Eastern Africa Regional Hub (RDGE), of the African Development Bank (AfDB). Prior to that, he was the Principal Private Sector Development Specialist and Macroeconomist at the Governance, Economic and Financial Management Department at the then Bank’s temporary headquarters in Tunis where he designed and managed Budget Support Operations, Institutional Support Programs and Business Enabling Environment initiatives in a number of countries. Before joining the AfDB, Dr. Temesgen has worked for several years at the World Bank in different Departments and Regions including: Development Research Group (DECRG), the Chief Economist Office for Africa, the Private sector Development and Finance Unit of South Asia Region, as well as the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Team. His main areas of work include Macroeconomics, Poverty and Education, Regional Integration and Trade, Private Sector and Finance Development, innovation and Competitiveness.
Unami Tlhole
GABORONE, BOTSWANA
Expert: Rules of Origin/Customs
Ms. Unami Tlhole is a well-seasoned Rules of Origin Expert with long experience in Customs, Trade Policy and Trade Facilitation and Regional Integration. She is an accredited World Customs Organisation, Expert Trainer on Rules of Origin. She is part of Botswana’s technical advisory team on Regional Trade negotiations. She was also served on Botswana’s AfCFTA Rules of Origin Technical Negotiation team from 2017-2019. She thereafter worked for the African Union Commission as a Senior Consultant (Expert) on Rules of Origin. Unami holds a Master of Science in Finance (Economic Policy) from the University of London; a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Botswana; a Certificate in Education from Gaborone Universal College and an Individual Course Certificate in Project Management – Practice and Principles from the University of Stellenbosch. She is currently studying French at Alliance Francaise in Gaborone. Unami is very passionate about ‘Boosting Intra Africa Trade.’
Victor Borges
PRAIA, CABO VERDE
Advisor: Business and Investment
Expert: Political Economy/Risk Analysis
Dr. Víctor Manuel Barbosa Borges has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities of Cape Verde, 2004-2008 and Minister of Education, Culture and Sport (2001-2002) and Education and Human Resources Development of Cape Verde (2002- 2004). He is also former Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of the ACP Group, has wide experience in the field of Regional Integration in West Africa. His leadership of the Council of Ministers of the ACP Group culminated in the signing of the revision of the Cotonou Agreement. Among other roles, he has served as a Fellow-visitor to the Bureau of European Policy Advisers, of the European Commission, Member of the Consultative Committee of the Banco Cabo-Verdiano de Negócios, Cape Verde, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Atlantic Tri-Continental Initiative (High Commission for Planning, Morocco, Rabat), Member of the Advisory Board of Casa de Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain, Las Palmas and Member of the Governing Body of UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, in Hamburg, Germany. He now consults widely on regional integration and development matters. He also served as Coordinator of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Cape Verde, director of various education projects and Director of Studies and Planning of the Ministry of Education. His first area of expertise was education and training. The intertwined relationship between education and development and the need for vision and coherent approaches to public policies reinforced his intellectual curiosity and made him discover other themes and challenges in developing countries. He was fortunate to benefit from various training opportunities, enriching professional and political contacts and thus be able to extend his knowledge and skills to other fields such as international relations, trade, security, regional integration, development cooperation, public administration and migrations. His professional and political career has enabled him to assume responsibilities and skills in the most diverse sectors. He is a guest speaker at various conferences (national, regional and international), research centres and universities. He is and has been a member and Chairman of administrative, advisory and scientific boards of various global organizations and initiatives in the fields of education, training, research, international relations and development cooperation.
Wanyama Masinde
NAIROBI, KENYA - JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Executive Director – CEFRI
Secretary General – ARISA
Editor: African Integration
Editor: East African Integration Review
Prof. Wanyama Masinde is one of Africa’s leading authorities on Regional Integration with an excellent understanding of trade issue on the Continent. He has carried out research, advised and delivered training across the Continent for Regional Economic Communities and other Regional Organisations; National Governments including Legislatures, Private Sector Institutions and Civil Society; and academic institutions. Wanyama’s work focuses on Trade Facilitation, Trade Development and Competitiveness, Trade and Investment in Africa, Assessing, Measuring and Monitoring Regional Integration; Regional Integration Policies and Strategies; Managing and Implementing Regional Integration Projects and Programmes; Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Regional Integration; Economic Diplomacy and Trade Negotiations. Wanyama is the Founding Director and Dean of the Institute for Regional Integration and Development (IRID) at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi. Besides, Wanyama is a Visiting Professor of Regional Integration at the African Union’s Pan African University Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and of Public Policy at the Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences, including Climate Change (PAUWES) in Tlemcen, Algeria. He is also a Fellow of the ECOWAS West Africa Institute (WAI) in Praia, Cape Verde and Directs the Course on Regional Integration and Trade in Africa for the 14 Member States of the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI). Wanyama, who has served as Capacity Development Advisor at COMESA, has supported the African Union in numerous roles including working as Lead Expert in the Development and Production of the 2020 African Integration Report. He has also served as Policy Advisor in the Republic of South Sudan while in Kenya, he has served as Policy Advisor in the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment; Regional Integration and Trade Advisor at the National Parliament; Policy and Strategy Advisor at the Ministry of East African Affairs which included guiding the East African Common Market Negotiations; and, Capacity Development Advisor at the Ministry of Trade. As well as being a Commonwealth Scholar, Wanyama is an alumnus of the European Commission’s 6th Framework of Excellence Programme for Global Governance, Regionalisation and Regulation (GARNET).
Willie A. Eselebor
ABUJA, NIGERIA
Border Management Expert
Dr. Willie Eselebor is a Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is an expert on Border Management and recently hosted Africa’s first Border Management Conference which was co-hosted by Nigeria and Benin. He also trained in negotiation and mediation at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. Prior to joining the academic community, he worked with the Nigerian Immigration Service (1980-2012) and attained the rank of Assistant Comptroller of Immigration. Willie has attained extensive experience consulting for the EU, AU, ECOWAS, IOM, ICMPD, GIZ and Rwanda Peace Academy on various projects in Africa. He was the Focal Person for the Border Regions in Transition (BRIT 2018) Conference jointly held in Nigeria/Benin Republic. He also participated in the drafting of the of Election Security Personnel Manual (2020), the ECOWAS Negotiation and Mediation Manual (2018) and the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment (2018). He is an Executive Committee member of African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE); Trustee on the Board, Association of Borderlands Studies (ABS), Border Areas Development Initiatives (BADI), Building Blocks for Peace Foundation and the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP). He is proficient in regional peace process and delivery of training on border security, migration management, negotiation, mediation, monitoring and evaluation. He has published widely in books, journals and periodicals in his area of interest and belongs to several learned societies.
Zaddock M. Syong'oh
NAIROBI, KENYA
Advisor: Political Economy/Risk Analysis
Expert: Trade and Investment
Amb. Zaddock Syong’oh is a former Member of Parliament and Assistant Minister for Trade in Kenya. He also recently served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Before joining Government, Amb. Syong’oh served in various positions in the private sector including that of Group Marketing Manager at Unilever, Marketing and Sales Manager at Kiwi Home Products (EA) Ltd and Deputy Managing Director at advertising firm Ogilvy and Mather (EA) Ltd before launching and running his own firm Marketing Support Services Ltd. Amb. Syong’oh, who holds an MBA, has extensive experience in the working of Government and of the private sector, lobbying, advocacy and trade marketing.
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