CEN-SAD was established on 4th February 1998 following the Conference of Leaders and Heads of States held in Tripoli (Libya). CEN-SAD Community was recognized as a regional economic one during the thirty sixth ordinary session of the Conference of Leaders and Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity held on 04-12/07/2000 in Lomé in Togo.
CEN-SAD was also given the observer status in the UN General Assembly by virtue of the UN General Assembly resolution N° A/RES/56/92. Since then, CEN-SAD has concluded partnership agreements with numerous regional and international organizations with the purpose of consolidating collective work in so many political, cultural, economic and social fields .
CEN-SAD has the following objectives:
- Establishment of a comprehensive economic union based on a strategy implemented in accordance with a developmental plan that would be integrated in the national development plans of the member states.
It includes investment in the agricultural, industrial, social, cultural and energy fields.
- Elimination of all obstacles impeding the unity of its member states through adopting measures that would guarantee the following: Facilitating the free movement of individuals, capital and meeting the interest of member states citizens, Freedom of residence, work, ownership and economic activity, Freedom of the movement of national goods, merchandise and services, Encouragement of foreign trade through drawing up and implementing an investment policy for member states, Enhancement and improvement of land, air and sea transportation and telecommunications among member states through the implementation of joint projects, and Consent of the community member states to give the citizens of member states the same rights and privileges provided for in the constitution of each member state.
- Coordination of pedagogical and educational systems at the various educational levels, and in the cultural, scientific and technical fields.
CEN-SAD has the following organs ;
- The Conference of Heads of State
- The Executive Council
- The General Secretariat
- The Sahel-Sharan Investment and Trade Bank
- The Economic Social and Cultural Council (ESCC)
CEN-SAD’s current members are : Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, and Tunisia.
The headquarters of CEN-SAD are in Tripoli Libya.