Kenya is set host the fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms.

The assembly will take place in Nairobi from July 13 to 16, 2023.

This was confirmed during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto on Tuesday at the State House, Nairobi.

The meeting will be held under the AU 2023 theme on ‘Acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation’.

According to the AU’s programme, between July 13 and 14, the leaders will hold the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council.

On July 16, they will have the fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union.

The MYCM was conceptualised in 2017 as the principal forum for the AU and RECs in a bid to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda.

The upcoming meeting will bring together leaders including the AU chairperson and the Bureau of the Assembly, AU Champion of the AfCFTA, chairpersons of all RECs, AUC chairperson and chief executives of RECs/RMs, deputy chairperson and commissioners of the AUC and the chief executive officer of AUDA-NEPAD.

The RECs include the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA, Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN–SAD)and East African Community (EAC).

Others are the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The meeting is expected to help fast track the integration process in Africa.

Leaders will also discuss the Division of Labour between the AU, RECs, and member states on the remaining sectors and consider the report on the AU Institutional Reform.