서강대학교

초록/요약

The current global trade environment is increasingly characterised by regional integration agreements; in Europe, South America and Africa. Most of the regional arrangements are trade focused while others are based on cooperation on a broader range of economic and political issues. Regional trade agreements are increasingly more complex and comprehensive in their scope, design and depth. With the increasing interest in regionalism, there are different viewpoints on the desirability and design of agreements for development. These differences revolve around two choices: trade focused regional integration and development-based integration whose objectives are much broader than trade integration. proponents of trade focused integration argue that development objectives sought through trade integration can be targeted more directly by focusing on a broader set of economic ？fundamentals？. More so, broad-based regional integration agreements tend to lack commitment, policy harmonization and the inability to catalyze trade liberalization needed to assure private investors. It is argued that this partly accounts for the continued existence of overlapping memberships in numerous regional agreements especially in Africa and their historically dismal performance. On the other hand, development-based integration argues for a more holistic approach to development. There are more regional organisations in Africa today than in any other continents and most African countries are members of more than one regional integration initiative. At the same time, it is widely recognised that many initiatives have not live up to expectations. Why have these initiatives produced only limited results? What has inhibited progress? The underlying reasons for the disappointing record need to be thoroughly examined and understood if a new paradigm is to be proposed. This work will seek to define the meaning of integration in Africa using the main stream international political economy theories for clarification. In order to understand the integration and development shortcomings of Africa, this study will delve into both internal and external factors that have inhibited integration and growth in Africa. One of the major shortcomings is intra-regional African trade. Intra-regional African trade has remained low despite several attempts at regional integration. A considerable number of scholars point out that little or any significant gains may be expected from essentially trade focused regional integration in Africa given the structures of African economies. There have been limited, if any, significant changes in the structure of African economies since independence. In order to reap the benefit of trade, some basic economic fundamentals must first be addressed. The importance of regional infrastructure development cannot be overemphasized. Transport infrastructure is at the heart of regional integration as it supports the movement of people and goods across borders. An efficient and integrated transport system will facilitate national and international trade and factor mobility. Not only is Africa confronted with internal problems, the external environment has also influenced the continent for a long time. To dismiss colonial rule, the Lom？ era (1975-1989), and the institutionalization of the Washington Consensus in 1989, and to ignore the incalculable decades long damage done to Africa as a pawn in the cold war will not be doing justice to understanding the African plight. With a reliance on historical institutionalism and constructivism, this study will make an attempt at providing recommendation on policies and institutions for a new boost to integration and development in Africa.