L ers

I am doing some research on this topic and permit me to
share with you some issues concerning the
political and economic integration of African countries
that has resurfaced recently at the OAU Heads of State
meeting in Libya. The idea was first put across in 1991 in
ABUJA in what became known as the Lagos Plan of Action
(LPA) calling for an African Economic Union (AEU).

Why the need for economic integration in Africa?.

In the numerous small nation states of Africa emerging from
colonial rule in the 1960, an urgent need was felt for
collective economic self reliance and security as an
integral part of their overt political efforts at nation
building and in order to promote economic development and
political stability. Early efforts to establish regional
economic arrangements were motivated by the expectation that
they could serve as one of the key vehicles for achieving
the shared aspirations of African countries for rapid
economic growth and development.

In its broadest sense, regional integration fits more
closely the approach to development called collective self
reliance. This approach involves cooperation among
African countries in order to attain fundamental
redistribution of World production, control over the
production and allocation of their surplus and the power to
make their own decisions on matters affecting their own
societies without outside influence.It also includes the
strengthening of trade relations among them (intra African
trade), the reorientation of development efforts towards the
satisfaction of basic needs for the whole population in
their development effort. Placing AEU in the context of
collective self reliance provides a perspective whereby it
can be appreciated as one among, and along with, other
strategies devised and adopted in the struggle to overcome
underdevelopment.

Given the small nation states of African countries,
clearly suggested regional economic integration as a means
of ensuring larger markets which would allow the benefits
of greater specialization and external economies of scale
to be realized. Note that i am delibrately and consciously
not mentioning a united states of Africa with a single
president and the works, which is something that at the best
of time is not feasible.  What is needed in Africa is some
form of political and economic cooperation and policy
coordination.

The idea of an African economic union is  to strengthen
economic and political relations among African states and
increase intra African trade and collective self reliance.
For any form of economic and political cooperation to be
effective needs the POLITICAL WILL of our leaders. We all
know that a number of political issues have affected the
progress in strengthening economic relations among African
countries. Every leader wants to safeguard his our small
kingdom. For there to be an African union, countries have
to surrender some national sovereignty to take advantage
of regional integration.

It is perhaps a truism to state that there is a constant
interaction between political and economic variables in
regional and international relations. Economic cooperation
and non cooperation does yield political ramifications in
as much as political cooperation or non cooperation could
have consequential economic implications. In Africa, the
lack of political commitment by governments can hinder
progress on this front.

An African economic union is for the African people, yet
popular participation of the masses in every sphere of
development is low.  African unity cannot succeed without
the active participation of the people. Thus, it is
advisable to sensitize the people on the economic
integration process in order to elicit their participation
and support towards the realization of this noble
objective.

We have to remind ourselves that the world is moving into
regional trading blocks and African should not be left
lagging behind. Now is the opportune time and thankfully
the Economic Commission for African and the Organization for
African Unity is pressing the issue at the dawn of a new
millennium. I am an optimist and believe that the level of
economic cooperation in Africa can be enhanced. It can
contribute immensely to economic development and political
stability of the region as well as increasing the
bargaining position of Africa in multilateral forums. I
support all those who call for closer economic and
political ties and exchanges among African countries.
Africa have suffered enough from external sources and our
own self inflicted problems. It is time for a change in the
existing pattern of underdevelopment.

As bro.. Katim would say , this is my buray ak butut
contribution to the discussion.

cheers
Basil

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B.M.Jones
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