ABSTRACT

This paper argues that Africa needs to adopt a more pragmatic approach to its regional integration agenda in order to increase the prospects of the objectives of the Continental Free Trade Area. The paper examines the political economy realities of Africa’s integration and highlights certain contextual challenges that have created a gap between the continent’s regional integration stated intentions and objectives as contained in the Abuja Treaty forming the African Economic Community (AEC) and the attainment of the identified integration milestones within the identified timeframes. The disparity between identified objectives and implementation realities requires that Africa should evaluate its chosen approach to integration before embarking upon another project like the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) in order not to repeat the failures of the past. Such an evaluation should bring the continent to revisit its current disproportionate emphasis on market integration and pursuit of a trade liberalization agenda in favour of a developmental regionalism approach to integration. A developmental regionalism approach is one that seeks to promote mutually beneficial trade amongst African Union member states while placing an equal amount of emphasis on industrial development and the upgrading of regional value chains that are a prerequisite for transformative industrialization. For the CFTA to succeed, Africa would need to place much emphasis on cooperation on cross border infrastructure investment and development, while continuing its efforts aimed at the harmonisation of standards and related trade facilitation measures. This change of emphasis to adopt a developmental regionalism approach it is argued would yield greater developmental benefits and increase the success prospects of the CFTA.

摘要

本文认为，非洲需要对其区域一体化议程采取更务实的方法，以增加大陆自由贸易区目标的前景。该文件审查了非洲一体化的政治经济现实，并强调了某些背景挑战，这些挑战在形成非洲经济共同体（AEC）的《阿布贾条约》中所载的非洲大陆区域一体化声明的意图和目标与实现确定的一体化之间造成了差距。确定的时间范围内的里程碑。已确定的目标与实施现实之间的差异要求非洲在着手实施大陆自由贸易区 (CFTA) 等另一个项目之前，应评估其选择的一体化方法，以免重蹈过去的覆辙。这样的评估应该使非洲大陆重新审视其目前对市场一体化和追求贸易自由化议程的过分强调，以支持发展性区域主义一体化方法。发展区域主义方法是一种寻求促进非洲联盟成员国之间互利贸易的方法，同时同样重视工业发展和区域价值链升级，这是转型工业化的先决条件。为了使 CFTA 成功，非洲需要高度重视跨境基础设施投资和发展方面的合作，同时继续努力统一标准和相关贸易便利化措施。据认为，这种采用发展区域主义方法的重点转变将产生更大的发展效益并增加 CFTA 的成功前景。