Regional Integration And Cooperation In West Africa

This book contains a collection of papers that examine the failure of regional integration and co-operation to date in west Africa and that explore some of the options for the revitalization of such initiatives. The papers are arranged in three categories: strategic visions and prospects for regional integration and co-operation; economic perspectives; and political dimensions. Specific topics include the role of the Economic Community of West African States; theoretical models and approaches to regional integration; the role of community building in regional integration; partnerships for innovation; national policies as impediments to economic integration; parallel trade as a form of economic subversion; lessons from the West African Monetary Union; human rights and integration; the regional dimension of environmental management; and power sharing at the regional level.

Since the Treaty establishing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was signed in 1975, several protocole have been adopted providing the legal and institutional framework for implementing the integration of the West African sub-region. Ail social and political stakeholders agree that regional integration is a major challenge for development in West Africa. Yet the regional integration process has been affected by many delays, even failures. Member states have pursued a seemingly contradictory dual objective: build a Nation-state within colonial Borders and achieve regional integration to fight against under-development. Can national planning priorities be reconciled with the demands and objectives of regional integration processes in West Africa ? Since 2005, under the auspices of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme initiative, the Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO has organized a series of national seminars on West African regional integration in the ECOWAS region. Four seminars have so far been organized in Senegal, Mali, Benin and Ghana. This anthology publishes papers presented at Ghana's national seminar on "Nation-states and the Challenge of Regional Integration in West Africa: the Case of Ghana", held in Accra from 8 to 9 November 2005. The contributors suggest that Ghana's reluctance to relinquish its sovereignty stemmed from a lack of commitment in the first 20 years of ECOWAS' existence and preoccupation with its own security and survival against internai and externat threats. The state has currently demonstrated renewed commit-ment by establishing a Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the New Agenda for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to coordinate and manage the sub-regional integration programme. In spite of positive developments, results have been disappointing. The new ministry remains isolated and is constrained by limited resources in finance and manpower. Its approach to integration issues has been elitist and technocratic, concentrating on format trade and ignoring the importance of the informai trade that has been the traditional means of popular participation in the integration of West African economies. Borderland communities with economic and social ties continue to engage in exchanges across political boundaries in defiance of national and state security concerns. Empowerment of Ghanaians involved in small-scale, informa] cross-border trade (in majority, women) "would not only increase the levels of social and economic integration, but would make the benefits of integration available to large sections of the population".

Multinational Cooperation for Development in West Africa discusses the obstacles and prospects of organizations that were formed to facilitate considerable cooperation in the developing countries of West Africa. The book describes and analyzes the cooperation movement and the United Nations system and role in fostering the process of cooperation in West Africa. A brief overview of West African characteristics; trends and analysis of development; history of the cooperation movement; issues regarding cooperation in West Africa; potentialities of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); and the impact of the United Nations on the growth of cooperation in the subregion are elucidated in the text. Students of international studies, researchers, economists, sociologists, political leaders of the West African region, and the staff of United Nations agencies will find this book invaluable.

This reissue, first published in 1983, is an authoritative study of economic integration among the states of West Africa, focusing upon the issues and experience of the four main initiatives for regional integration in West Africa, namely the Economic Community of West African States, the Mano River Union, the Communauté Economique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, and the recent initiative for the establishment of an economic and monetary union between Senegal and the Gambia.

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, grade: A, ESCP Europe, language: English, abstract: Development in Africa has been an issue for many years now. Since the independence of most of the states in the 1960's, the western countries have tried to help the so- called third world countries to develop their economies and thus to lift their population out of poverty. The efforts were conducted through direct intervention or through the non-governmental organisation like the IMF or the UN. Despite decades of commitment and billion dollar efforts, most of Africa remains in a poor status with nearly half of its population living on less than one dollar per day. Since its independence regional frameworks have existed but only obtained little attention from international as well as from national side. But with the failure of most programmes and the ever growing stronger trend to regional trade agreements throughout the whole world, the frameworks in Africa have moved in the centre of attention. International organisations promote the further integration of these; national governments put the frameworks on the top of their agendas. The aim of this project is to show the possible influence of regional cooperation frameworks in the development process of the countries in the West-African region. The analysis was focused on two existent regional frameworks, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). During the analysis, the nature of the ECOWAS and the WAEMU is to be identified as well as possible differences in their approach of the regional development. The question that will be asked are how the influence of the unions exactly looks like, which effects this has on the members, how the unions evolved over the time and how they plan to develop in the future.

In the last five decades, the world has witnessed dramatic changes. The Cold War has ended, and geopolitical relations among the major powers have been generally stable and tranquil. Moreover, the demise of colonialism has allowed newly independent countries to play a greater role in the international arena, and countries that used to be foes have now joined hands to develop their economies and raise the living standards of their peoples. At the same time, economic integration, both regional and global, has taken a strong hold. There is a growing realization that, for the survival of the modern world, with increasing cross-national links and externalities, global cooperation is a necessity. The opponents of integration argue that it is merely a guise for exploiting people in developing countries, which will cause massive disruptions of lives and with few benefits to the poor. Its proponents, however, point to the significantly reduced levels of poverty in countries that have adopted economic integration, such as China, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Chile, South Africa, Tanzania, and others. The EU experience is a successful example of integrating national economies, but how far should those promoting regional integration in Africa and other regions look to the EU as a model? Can regional and global integration proceed harmoniously? The journey towards fully-fledged regional integration in Africa and beyond could be long, rough and tough. Challenges and fears are enormous, but hopes, opportunities and prospects are immense. From this study it can be further concluded that Regional Integration and Cooperation in the 21st century is a reality and relevant.

Since their independance, Africa states West in particular have felt a need for regional integration in order to solve their development problems. Various aspects of Nigeria's experience in regional integration are there examined. These include the advocacy of chambers of commerce for common currencies among members of the West African Monetary Zone, security implications of defense pacts between some francophone member countries and France, and grassroots participation to solve problems concerning borders and borderlands. Finally, facilitators and obstacles of regional integration are examined.