Panel 81: The Paradox of Regional Economic Integration in Africa
Panel organiser: Yenkong Ngangjoh Hodu (Univ. of Manchester, UK)
Contact: Yenkong.NgangjohHodu@manchester.ac.uk
| International relations in the last few decades have witnessed what some may term an accelerated pace of decentralisation. While most have expressed unease with this fragmentation of international regime, proponents of a decentralised system of international decision-making sees it as a leeway to effective management of world resources. Perhaps not surprisingly in this trend is the area of international economic relations. Some salient features of the debate on this regional economic clustering is the need of economic and political integration, national security and foreign policy as well as members willingness to have access to greater external markets. Yet, Africa’s appetite for regional clustering by far surpasses that of most other regions of the globe. This unprecedented appetite for fragmentation of regional economic institutions begs an uncomfortable question: What if this desire to create several distinct but similar economic institutions was to be accompanied by the same autonomy to such institutions to decide on trade/economic policies on behalf of its members? Drawing on the debate on why and how Africa should engage in proper regional macro economic harmonisation, this panel will examine contemporary issues hampering the smooth functioning of different Africa’s regional economic/trade regimes. In other words, it will look at the political economy of regional integration in Africa and how and why Africa should sequence their policies towards the outside world. |