Regional integration in Africa will only be a reality if the countries seeking to increase their trade and grow their economies adopt industrialisation in their economies, show political will and improve on the standards of their products to compete with the set standards needed to break into the European and other big markets.
Britain, the United States and the European Union have in recent years shown interest to assist to develop the initiative being nurtured by Africa’s three leading regional economic blocs, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) as well as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to foster a continental Free Trade Area and increase exports of high standards to Europe and other markets.
But critics have, however, argued that unless, there is political will, willingness to break the perceived notion among the big markets not to trade with countries deemed as small and also migrate from exports of primary commodities to finished products, the desire to integrate and improve the economies in question on the continent will not yield fruit.
Comments are closed.