2011年-WTO世界贸易组织_Regional_Integration_in_Africa_27页_204kb

Summary of Regional Integration in Africa

Core Content

This working paper by Trudi Hartzenberg, from the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (tralac), examines the history, motivations, initiatives, and challenges of regional integration in Africa. It highlights the continent's fragmented and marginalised economic position and questions the effectiveness of the linear model of integration that has dominated African regional integration efforts.

Main Points and Key Information

1. Regional Integration in Africa

• Motivation: Regional integration is seen as a rational response to the challenges of small national markets and landlocked countries.
• Number of Arrangements: Africa has concluded a large number of regional integration arrangements (RIAs), many with overlapping memberships.
• Integration Model: The African integration model is typically linear, progressing from free trade areas (FTAs) to customs unions, common markets, and eventually economic and political unions.
• Examples of RIAs: The paper references several key regional economic communities (RECs) such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and others.

2. Challenges in Implementation

• Poor Implementation: Despite ambitious goals, the implementation of RIAs has been weak, with many not achieving their intended outcomes.
• Focus on Border Measures: The linear model tends to focus on border measures like tariffs, but supply-side constraints such as infrastructure, skills, and competition policy are more critical to effective integration.
• High Transaction Costs: African countries face high trade transaction costs due to poor transport infrastructure, lack of competition in air transport, and unreliable communication systems.
• Economic Constraints: Small economies, lack of industrial capacity, and limited access to finance hinder the effectiveness of integration efforts.

3. Trade Performance and Intra-Regional Trade

• Intra-Regional Trade: Africa's intra-regional trade remains low, with only 10–12% of total trade occurring within the continent.
• Trade Trends: Between 2000 and 2009, intra-REC exports grew at an average rate of 15%, while imports grew at 18%. However, this growth has not translated into significant improvements in the continent's overall trade performance.
• Export Concentration: A few countries dominate exports within each REC, indicating uneven development and limited market diversification.
• Global Trade Share: Africa's share of global trade has declined over the decades, despite some growth in recent years. In 2010, Africa's share of world merchandise exports was 3.3%, compared to 29.5% for developing economies as a whole.

4. Services and Behind-the-Border Issues

• Neglect of Services: Trade in services has received little attention in formal African integration arrangements, even though it is a key component of the regional integration model.
• Behind-the-Border Constraints: Issues such as investment, competition policy, and government procurement are not well addressed in African RIAs.
• Contentious Negotiations: The inclusion of services and behind-the-border issues in trade agreements with external partners, such as the EU, has been a source of contention.

5. The Role of Rules of Origin (RoO)

• RoO as a Key Element: RoO are crucial in determining which goods qualify for preferential treatment under FTAs and customs unions.
• Impact on Trade: RoO can either promote or restrict intra-regional trade depending on their design. The SADC RoO are more restrictive than those of COMESA.
• Implementation Gaps: Despite the existence of strategic plans such as the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), these have not been fully implemented.

6. African Economic Community (AEC)

• Vision: The AEC is envisioned as a united African economy, with the eight RECs serving as its building blocks.
• Progress: The paper highlights that while progress has been made, the AEC remains a distant goal.

7. Competitiveness and Economic Development

• Competitiveness Factors: In a globalized world, competitiveness is driven by trade performance, export sophistication, and diversification.
• SADC as a Leader: SADC includes some of the most competitive economies in sub-Saharan Africa, such as South Africa, Mauritius, and Botswana.
• Structural Issues: Despite institutional strengths, Africa faces challenges in health, education, and technological development, which affect its ability to compete globally.

Conclusion

The paper argues that while African regional integration is widely supported, the linear model has not been effective in promoting real economic and trade benefits. The focus on border measures and the lack of attention to supply-side issues such as infrastructure, skills, and services have limited the success of these arrangements. The paper calls for a re-evaluation of the integration model to better address the continent's economic challenges and to enhance its competitiveness in the global market.