▁the ▁RE C s ▁within ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁their ▁close ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁form ulation ▁and ▁implementation ▁of ▁all ▁program mes ▁of ▁the ▁Union . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁it ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁that ▁the ▁existing ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁RE C s ▁was ▁far ▁from ▁ideal , ▁with ▁many ▁over laps ▁in ▁membership . ▁At ▁the ▁Map uto ▁Sum mit ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁the ▁A U ▁Commission ▁was ▁requested ▁to ▁acceler ate ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁draft ▁Pro tocol ▁on ▁Rel ations ▁between ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁RE C s . ▁R ational isation ▁of ▁the ▁RE C s ▁formed ▁the ▁theme ▁of ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Ban j ul ▁sum mit ▁of ▁the ▁A U . ▁At ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Acc ra ▁sum mit ▁the ▁A U ▁Assembly ▁adopted ▁a ▁Pro tocol ▁on ▁Rel ations ▁between ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁Regional ▁Econom ic ▁Commun ities . ▁This ▁protocol ▁is ▁intended ▁to ▁facil itate ▁the ▁harm on isation ▁of ▁policies ▁and ▁ensure ▁comp liance ▁with ▁the ▁Ab u ja ▁Tre aty ▁and ▁Lag os ▁Plan ▁of ▁Action ▁time ▁frames . ▁ ▁Ch alleng es ▁facing ▁the ▁RE C s ▁Several ▁of ▁the ▁RE C s ▁overlap ▁in ▁membership : ▁for ▁example , ▁in ▁East ▁Africa , ▁Ken ya ▁and ▁U g anda ▁are ▁members ▁of ▁both ▁the ▁E AC ▁and ▁CO ME SA , ▁whereas ▁T anz ania , ▁also ▁a ▁member