Abstract
The history of regional integration in Africa dates back to the pre-independence period when the colonial powers established regional schemes with the primary intent to preserve their interests on the continent. Only in the post-colonial period did regionalism come to be seen as a strategy for development and economic emancipation. Although the main idea behind the latter concept of regional co-operation was the establishment of continental institutions with adequate economic and political influence to demand fair international economic relations, these institutions have been beset by multiple challenges that have impaired their effectiveness.
Highlights
The history of regional integration in Africa dates back to the preindependence period when the colonial powers established regional schemes with the primary intent to preserve their interests on the continent
Some of the challenges include poor public participation in regional integration initiatives and the failure to ensure transfer of benefits to the grassroots level. These go against the notion that “regional integration activities and programmes need a collective participation of governments, civil society, private sector, academia, and development partners at all levels”
Concerns have been raised in various fora about the continuing lack of formal linkages between national, regional and continental integration initiatives among civil society organisations and intergovernmental processes.[22]. This has hindered the improvement of relations between citizens and their States, while denying the citizens a platform to express their demands and concerns at the different levels. Commenting on this state of affairs, Malipula and Kitigwa have remarked that “the missing piece in the integration jigsaw has always been the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) which bridge the gap between the state and people at the grass roots in economic issues”
Summary
The history of regional integration in Africa dates back to the preindependence period when the colonial powers established regional schemes with the primary intent to preserve their interests on the continent. Some of the challenges include poor public participation in regional integration initiatives and the failure to ensure transfer of benefits to the grassroots level. These go against the notion that “regional integration activities and programmes need a collective participation of governments, civil society, private sector, academia, and development partners at all levels”.3. The second section traces the evolution of regional integration in Africa and the challenges it has encountered in the post-colonial period. SMMEs and the informal sector, which are seen as critical components in the effort to empower ordinary people and spur economic growth, are examined with a view to evaluating the manner and extent to which they have been affected by regional integration in Africa far. Some conclusions and recommendations for the way forward are contained in the last section
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