Consolidating multiple regional blocs; A case study of the African Union

Abstract

The renewed purpose by African leaders to press forward with Pan-Africanism and to reactivate and rejuvenate African partnership both intra and global is of tremendous historic and economic significance. This study has addressed some fundamental concerns about the proposed AEC through a critical analysis of Pan-African integration, provisions of the treaty and the possibility of achieving a united Africa by 2025. The study also examines the thorny issues of rationalization, cooperation and amalgamation of RECs as building blocks of continental integration under Functionalist theory of regional integration. Similarly, the European Union experience, impediments and apparent success have significantly informed this study. The study has also looked at the record of success and failure and the political economic and administrative hurdles attendant to this process and suggests the way forward. In addition, the study has further assessed how African countries' practice of multiple memberships has constituted an obstacle to the success of regional/continental integration. Issues such as civil strife, cont1icts and the lack of transport and communications infrastructure have played a negative role and have delayed progress in regional integration. Such are the challenges faced by the Abuja's AEC which now has been converted into the African Union. In reality these are just some of the lessons and challenges that the AU will have to contend with.