Multiplicity of African Regional Economic Communities and Overlapping Memberships: A Challenge for African Integration

Abstract

The quest for regional integration in Africa has long been entrenched in the history of the continent. Anchored with its diversities, regional integration in Africa has been emerging from the politics of anti-colonialism, but on the basis of pre-existing colonial arrangements. It continues to this date with different shapes and forms. But in general, the journey was a tough and rough. It could be, partly; because of the multiplicity of RECs which deters the forward movement of the integration processes across the continent. Thus, this research was conducted to critically analyze the multiplicity of African Regional Economic Communities and the overlapping membership of African countries in the due process of regional integration. Accordingly, the result of the study shows that the proliferation of RECs complicates the overall continental integration process and put massive strains on the member states ability and resources to cope with diverse agendas and exigencies. Moreover, in this research; complications, contradictions and duplications of activities, the need of ‘Modus Operandi’ due to the variable geometrical integration of countries, overlapping authority, problems of harmonization of policies, high management and financial burdens on the member states were revealed as some of the effects and worries of multiplicity of RECs and overlapping memberships. Hence, eradicating wasteful or costly duplication of multiple memberships and rationalizing some overlapping sub-regional blocs should be a demanding agenda all over the continent.