Martin Mpana, Cameroonian Ambassador to China and the Chair of the seminar subcommittee of the Golden Jubilee celebration of the OAU/AU in China made opening remarks at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG)

Zhong Jianhua, Special Representative of the Chinese Government to African Affairs spoke on Africa-China relations at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG)

Currently, the AU is advancing integration through a regional approach, which involves several groupings, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), North Africa, the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

In Haggag's view, Africans need to develop strong foundations in order to create a Pan-African common market and community in the future. "Instead of establishing an African economic community at the beginning, we first have to push regional integration, and allow investment to go from one African country to other African countries," he said. "We have to be realistic and should not skip any steps in the process," he warned.

In addition, bigger economies in Africa should facilitate and assist weaker economies in the integration process, according to Haggag. "The weak economies are afraid that the so-called big economies, such as South Africa and Egypt, will dump on their markets," he noted.

Because of the imbalanced development of different regions, African integration should be based on the integration of sub-regional communities. The integration of the continent can only be done step by step, according to Yang.

While discussing the role of the regional economic communities at the seminar, seven African ambassadors to China briefly reviewed the development and future prospects of Africa's sub-regional communities.

As the spokesperson of the EAC, Madibo Charles Wagidoso, the Ugandan Ambassador to China, talked about the vast advantages of the common market and the future prospect of EAC. "We've adopted a gradual approach to the regional integration process, beginning from customs unions, and smoothly moving to common markets and monetary unions, and ultimately to a political federation," he said.

"United we stand, divided we fall," stressed Wagidoso, who believes that unity is strength in the regional integration process.  

Amimu Bashir Wali, Nigerian Ambassador to China made a speech on "African Renaissance Through New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)" at the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG)

The diplomatic corps of African countries in China hosted a seminar to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the OAU/AU in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG)

Chinese and African officials, diplomats, scholars, the media, African students in China attended the seminar in Beijing on May 24, 2013 (SHI GANG)