Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1 RESEARCH PROPOSAL 2 Regional Integration Efforts in Africa Name Institution Introduction This research proposal seeks to explain or elaborate the experiences of African regional integration efforts especially sub-Saharan Africa. Regional integration efforts in Africa have always been politically motivated. They have been considered as vehicles for achieving economic successes and empowering small sized nations. Such nations’ sizes hamper their ability to interact efficiently with bigger countries in terms of industrialization especially within the context of exports and imports. Regional integration is an approach that many countries adopted in the 1960s. It was conceived as means to fast-track structural transformation of emerging economies. This kind of thinking is best demonstrated in the treaty that governed ECOWAS whereby community interaction was noted as the motivating factor to accelerate, encourage and foster social and economic development of countries in order to raise living standards of their inhabitants (Lockhart, 2011). This was later enhanced to include the contexts of self-reliance and sustaining developments of various member states. Purpose Statement Efforts of achieving regional integration have been eminent in the post-independence era of African states. There have however been differences in the regional groupings and other concerned parties about the extent to which integration will stretch to achieve structural transformation. The spectrum that surrounds regional integration is broad. This results in different groups favoring high political integrations and others opposing them. Historically, various levels of regional and economic integration have been achieved in different settings. This was done through step by step succession of integration units. Such economies often begin with economic integration and cooperation. This refers to any activity that cuts across nation frontiers for the sole purpose of engaging in cooperation for the sake of boosting the economy of the respective states. Regional integration closely follows the next process. It is majorly focused on increasing the territory of intra-regional trade partnerships (Cohen, 2014). Ways of achieving this include removing trade barriers in the exchange of goods and services between countries. Regional integration at its least could entail the creation of preferential trade agreements. The first step is the creation of areas where barriers between nations are removed, but member states still retain their respective trade practices, such as tariffs that hinder trade with non-member nations. Once the benefits of a free trade area have been exhausted, a customs union is put in place by member states in efforts to adopt a common integration with non-member states. Such arrangements can be adhered to with inclusion of capital, joint labor, and non-factor services among member states. An economic union can be created b.

1. Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1
RESEARCH PROPOSAL 2
Regional Integration Efforts in Africa
Name
Institution
Introduction
This research proposal seeks to explain or elaborate the
experiences of African regional integration efforts especially
sub-Saharan Africa. Regional integration efforts in Africa have
always been politically motivated. They have been considered
as vehicles for achieving economic successes and empowering
small sized nations. Such nations’ sizes hamper their ability to
interact efficiently with bigger countries in terms of
industrialization especially within the context of exports and
imports. Regional integration is an approach that many
countries adopted in the 1960s. It was conceived as means to
fast-track structural transformation of emerging economies.
This kind of thinking is best demonstrated in the treaty that
governed ECOWAS whereby community interaction was noted
as the motivating factor to accelerate, encourage and foster
social and economic development of countries in order to raise
living standards of their inhabitants (Lockhart, 2011). This was
later enhanced to include the contexts of self-reliance and
sustaining developments of various member states.
Purpose Statement

2. Efforts of achieving regional integration have been eminent in
the post-independence era of African states. There have
however been differences in the regional groupings and other
concerned parties about the extent to which integration will
stretch to achieve structural transformation. The spectrum that
surrounds regional integration is broad. This results in different
groups favoring high political integrations and others opposing
them. Historically, various levels of regional and economic
integration have been achieved in different settings. This was
done through step by step succession of integration units. Such
economies often begin with economic integration and
cooperation. This refers to any activity that cuts across nation
frontiers for the sole purpose of engaging in cooperation for the
sake of boosting the economy of the respective states.
Regional integration closely follows the next process. It is
majorly focused on increasing the territory of intra-regional
trade partnerships (Cohen, 2014). Ways of achieving this
include removing trade barriers in the exchange of goods and
services between countries. Regional integration at its least
could entail the creation of preferential trade agreements. The
first step is the creation of areas where barriers between nations
are removed, but member states still retain their respective trade
practices, such as tariffs that hinder trade with non-member
nations. Once the benefits of a free trade area have been
exhausted, a customs union is put in place by member states in
efforts to adopt a common integration with non-member states.
Such arrangements can be adhered to with inclusion of capital,
joint labor, and non-factor services among member states. An
economic union can be created by countries that have the same
monetary and fiscal policies.
Most regional integration schemes on the African continent
have aimed at creating common market integration (Oduro,
2011). Unfortunately, not many schemes have successfully
achieved the much-awaited progression towards that goal.
During the early 90s, very little progress had been made
towards the creation of free flowing economy for goods and

3. services and creation of a common tariff that is a necessity for
the implementation of a customs union. The sequence of African
regional integration can be described as having a very dynamic
beginning, in which numerous policies are launched, followed
by series of implementation difficulties and issues in problem
ratification. It is evident that most regional integration schemes
have not made much progress due to the lack of efficient
policies and protocols implementation.
Preliminary findings for this research proposal indicate that
there has been a consensus that integration in Africa has
achieved very limited results since its inception. This is giving
way to skeptic pessimism as critics suggest that Africa regional
efforts are unlikely to yield positive welfare gains (Mangeni,
2015). Reason being they do not have the required conditions to
create trade effects that will outweigh other trade hindrance
policies.
Regional integration in Africa has also been perceived as a tool
to enhance industrialization by taking advantage of
opportunities that positively impact the economies of scale
which cooperation will make possible. Regional integration has
also been seen as a means to increase a country’s bargaining
strength to match other industrialized countries. Despite various
difficulties faced by other integration schemes, African Heads
of States continue to make official statements that express the
desire for their success and implementation (Cohen, 2014).
An important issue that this proposal tends to unearth in detail
is the extent to which regional integration efforts in the recent
times indicate a genuine cause to implement integration
measures that will be economically viable. Some governments
still consider regional integration efforts irrelevant created by
their lack of economic or political policies. The result of this is
the lack of affirmation of solidarity towards the regional
economic agreements.
Literature Review
It is evident that regional integration efforts have had very few

4. successes in Africa despite the frequent multiplicity of diverse
groupings. One of the reasons for this is that intra-regional
trade efforts have been low in terms of foreign trade compared
to other territories such as Europe, Asia, North America and
Latin America (Cohen, 2014). Recorded trade comparisons
indicate that the volumes of actual trade in inclusive of informal
trade can boost Africa’s numbers. However, it has been noted
that the significance of regional trade has been growing over the
years. Most African countries have been negatively influenced
by unstable economic policies, foreign debt burdens, poor
currencies and trade finances and unfavorable tax conditions.
Some countries have adopted import substitution mechanisms
that have contributed to several regulations such as foreign
exchange allocation, licensing, import deposits hence making
the enhancement of regional commitments unfavorable
(Mangeni, 2015).
The design of states’ integration schemes in terms of
industrialization means that the economic burdens of member
states in the regional blocks are more often than not concrete
and immediate while the benefits from such partnerships are
uncertain and long-term and unevenly allocates to the member
states (Desmund, 2013). The dominance of a few member states
in the regional blocs has also hindered the success of regional
integration efforts. This has led to concerns regarding the fair
allocation of losses and gains from integration. Mechanisms to
make this a fair process have either been ineffective or absent.
Regions are faced with challenges when it comes to equal
distribution of benefits. Most African nations are dependent on
their former colonial masters. This tends to work adversely in
regional groupings due to differences in ideologies. Linkage to
developed countries affects commitment in African groupings
(Oduro, 2011).
Regionalism efforts have been imposed on people by public
organizations, lacking the required support of the private sector
and the citizens of the various nations in general. This is
evident inexpensive and bloated bureaucracies who

5. consequently hinder development and growth. The existence of
similar regional trade organizations leads to institutional
weakness (Lockhart, 2011). Such tendencies are as a result of
over-involvement of politics in regional integration efforts,
failure by governing bodies to meet required financial
obligations and poor decision making by leaders. Integration
has also been negatively affected by the presence of weak states
and too much political opposition to sovereignty.
The success of regional integration efforts will create a larger
market for the free flow of goods and services and consequently
increase member countries’ GDP. Effective regional policies
will spur economic growth for Africa, spread prosperity and
enhance the livelihood of Africans. The presence of larger
markets is a boost in infrastructure development that will
spearhead the growth of industrialization (Cohen, 2014). This
will create jobs for citizens of various countries; have added an
advantage to member countries and their economies in general.
The technology sector also stands to aid in the development of
industrialization. Larger markets created by regional integration
efforts will also create and stimulate trade in various services.
The segment that will profit the most is the financial sector as
larger industrialists will be seeking economies of scale.
Financial services are a tool to increase member states’
interaction (Melo, 2014). Smaller nations within the African
regional blocs will no longer be confined to their contemporary
or traditional products and services. Better human resources and
policies will widen their market base and manufacturing
operations.
Conclusion
Harmonized trade and regional efforts are geared towards
solving both social and economic issues faced by African
nations. Such efforts can rationalize various trade organizations,
support industrialization, stimulate inter-country infrastructure
development and create new ways of doing businesses. There
has been revived interest in the regional integration efforts in
Africa in the recent past. They handle resuscitating and

6. revitalizing regional groupings in the deepening of regional
ties. There exists a possibility that the current regional efforts
will be more successful than those used in the past due to
economic and structural changes Africans nations have gone
through over the years.
References
Cohen, N. (2014). Turbulent fields and the theory of regional
integration. Economic Updates, 16-17.
Desmund, R. (2013). Regional Intergration in Africa. Corporate
Document Repository, 12-14.
Lockhart, J. (2011). Regional integration: reflections on a
decade of theoretical efforts. International Relations, 13-15.
Mangeni, F. (2015). The Benefits of Africa's New Free Trade
Area. Belfer Centre, 10-11.
Melo, J. (2014). The Tripartite Free Trade Africa: Is It the Way
to Deepen Integration in Africa? New York: Southern Bay
Publishers.
Oduro, A. (2011). Regional Integration Efforts in Afrrica.
Jo'Burg: Oxford SA.