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Prospects for Economic Integration in Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 November 2008

A. F. Ewing
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Economic integration has been in the forefront of discussion in Africa since the massive movement towards independence in the late 1950's and early 60's. There was immediate recognition that, while independence had been the primary goal, African frontiers were largely an artificial by-product of the colonial scramble 60 to 70 years ago, that many African countries were too small to be economically viable, and that to transform political into economic independence necessarily required concerted action. Further impetus was given to thinking and discussion by the setting up of the Economic Commission for Africa in 1958 and of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963. Concepts, of course, varied, as the pre-history of the O.A.U. shows clearly. The radical Casablanca group stood for an all-African common market, to lead rapidly to an all-African government. The member states of the Union africaine et malgache had much more limited but also more precise objectives: especially continued close co-operation among the francophone countries, and association with the European Common Market, particularly France. There were other ideas and associations, often cutting across these two main groupings. Yet it is perhaps only recently that views are beginning to clarify and that the real difficulties involved are being realised, a condition precedent for progress in practice. Economic integration has to be seen as an ultimate goal, with a number of concrete intermediate steps involving ever-increasing economic cooperation among groups of countries.

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Articles
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The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , May 1967 , pp. 53 - 67
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

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References

Page 54 note 1 For an analysis of eight African development plans and the contrast in planning foreign trade between internally and externally propelled development, e.g. between U.A.R. and Tunisia, and Ethiopia and Nigeria respectively, see Foreign Trade Plans in Selected Countries in Africa (Addis Ababa, 1964),Google Scholar E.C.A. document E/Conf.46/83.

Page 55 note 1 A Customs union implies the abolition of tariffs within the area and a common external tariff. A free trade area implies the abolition of tariffs within the area on the various products concerned, but no common external tariff against third countries. The process of abolishing duties is normally a progressive one.

Page 55 note 2 This is not to say that among groups of African countries there is not scope for some specialisation in agriculture, but if this is to work it will have to be deliberately organised.

Page 56 note 1 There is a vast and growing literature on economic integration. Much of it relates to, or derives from the experiences of, the European Economic Community. Much has also been written about Latin America, the original sources being the work of the E.C.L.A. secretariat. There is also an increasing literature on African problems, much of it from the E.C.A. secretariat. Two other works should be mentioned: Balassa, Bela, The Theory of Economic Integration (Illinois, 1961),Google Scholar a primarily theoretical work inspired particularly by European experience, which has also a full bibliography; and Dell, Sidney, Trade Blocs and Common Markets (London, 1963),Google Scholar which, although also theoretical in conception and based particularly on European experience, has something important to say about the developing areas. See also Mensah, J. H., ‘Regional Economic Integration,” in Planning the External Sector: techniques, problems and policies (New York, 1967),Google Scholar U.N. 67.11 B.5, where the contrast between regional integration problems in developed and less developed areas is sharply drawn.

Page 56 note 2 See Wightman, D., Towards Economic Co-operation in Asia (New Haven and London, 1963).Google Scholar

Page 57 note 1 The original sources on the problems of Central America are the E.C.L.A. secretariat and these are cited in detail in the work drawn upon in the present context, namely: Wionczek, M. S., The Experiences of the Central American Economic Integration Programme as Applied to East Africa (New York, 1965),Google Scholar U.N. document CID/SYMP.B/12; Mills, J. C., ‘Development Policy and Regional Trading Arrangements,’ in Economic Development and Cultural Change (Chicago), XIII, 1, 10 1964;Google Scholar and Dell, Sidney, A Latin American Common Market? (Oxford, 1966), ch. IV.Google Scholar

Page 57 note 2 Wionczek, op. cit. p. 16.

Page 58 note 1 The original sources are the treaty documents reproduced in Dell, A Latin American Common Market?; for commentary and analysis, see also Wionczek, op. cit.

Page 58 note 2 See also Dell, op. cit. ch. XII.

Page 58 note 3 The Economist (London), 25 09 and 1 10 1965.Google Scholar

Page 59 note 1 Wionczek, op. cit.

Page 59 note 2 This account is based mainly on Economic Integration and Industrial Specialisation among Member Countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (New York, 1966),Google Scholar U.N. document 66.II B.4.

Page 62 note 1 See Report of the E.C.A. Industrial Co-ordination Mission to Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia (Addis Ababa, 1964),Google Scholar E.C.A. document E/CN.14/248.

Page 62 note 2 See ‘Economic Co-operation in North Africa’, a note prepared by the North African subRegional Office of E.C.A. in February 1966; E/CN.14/CA/ECOP/2.

Page 62 note 3 Nye, J. S., ‘East African Economic Integration,’ in The Journal of Modern African Studies (Cambridge), I, 4, 12 1963.Google Scholar

Page 63 note 1 I.B.R.D., The Economic Development of Tanganyika (Baltimore, 1961), pp. 133–4.Google Scholar

Page 63 note 2 The Drees Mission, E. C. A., 1962.

Page 63 note 3 Green, R. H., Economic Community in East Africa: a quantitative appraisal (forthcoming).Google Scholar

Page 63 note 4 See Report of the Interim Council of Ministers of the proposed Economic Community of Eastern Africa (Addis Ababa, 1966),Google Scholar E.C.A. document E/CN.14/352.

Page 64 note 1 At this stage, it seems unnecessary to dwell on the failures of the former Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, a common market comprising three countries, Rhodesia, Zambia, and Malawi, which blatantly operated in favour of one country, Rhodesia. For an account of what happened, of why on purely economic grounds the Federation broke up, see Report of the E.C.A./F.A.O. Economic Survey Mission on the Economic Development of Zambia (Ndola, 1965), ch. 1.Google Scholar

Page 65 note 1 See Report of the E.C.A. Mission on Economic Co-operation in Central Africa (New York, 1966),Google Scholar U.N. document 66.n K.II, chs. I and VIII.

Page 65 note 2 Ibid. pp. 187–8.

Page 65 note 3 For the latest arrangements recently agreed, see West Africa (London), 06 1966.Google Scholar

Page 67 note 1 Cf. Rivkin, A., ‘Africa and the E.E.C.’, in Finance and Development (Washington), III, 2, 1966.Google Scholar

Page 67 note 2 Cf. in this context Mensah, op. cit.