Regional Integration in Africa

Since independence, African leaders have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to regional economic and political integration. Yet regional economic communities face formidable, multidimensional challenges, both external and internal. These are logistical, institutional and linguistic, as well as being political and economic.

This study outlines the challenges to mutual linkages at a regional level – to social and economic development across the continent. Organised topically and covering all regional groupings in Africa, the study provides a historical overview of integration and common markets of COMESA and ECOWAS, discussion of Africa in the global economy, the question of regionalism in North Africa and the Arab-Maghreb union, the case of the Southern African Development Community, and a survey of the political economy of the Horn of Africa.

This volume is the result of the South African University of Fort Hare’s Afrika Intellectual Project, an effort to create a regional network of scholars attached to the university.