Regional Integration in Africa: Challenges and Prospects

Jaime de Melo and Yvonne Tsikata

No wp-2014-037, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: Political motives, geography, and the uneven distribution of gains trumped the traditional efficiency gains across Africa's Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The small, sparsely populated, fragmented, and often isolated economies across Africa make a compelling case for these economies to integrate regionally to reap efficiency gains, exploit economies of scale, and reduce the thickness of borders. But lack of complementarities among partners and diminishing returns to the exploitation of resources has reduced supply response to market-integration-oriented regional policies.

Keywords: Commerce; Economies of scale; International economic relations; International trade; Regional economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Regional integration in Africa: Challenges and prospects (2015)
Working Paper: Regional integration in Africa: Challenges and prospects (2014)
Working Paper: Regional integration in Africa: Challenges and prospects (2014)
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