Is regional integration a viable framework for development in Africa?

Regional integration---which emerged as a trend in international relations in the 1950s---now enjoys renewed interest, particularly in Africa and other LDCs, primarily due to (a) the recent consolidation of the E.U. and NAFTA and (b) increasingly complex issues in international trade. Analysis of thirteen efforts at regional cooperation reveals three factors which determine the success or failure of a regional integration scheme: sovereignty and commitment; institutional weakness; and, incentives. Can Africa create, or reinforce, these pre-conditions?; Typically, African states have weak governments and confront an array of factors which distort markets and incentives to cooperate regionally. Given new political realities dawning in Africa, changes in the global economy, and indigenous political support, it may be time to implement regional integration in Africa. This paper draws on case studies to formulate policy recommendations to enhance future initiatives.