The role of the East African Community in the Economic Development of the East African Region

Abstract

The East African Community (EAC) is one of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa with integration in the region dating back to pre-colonial times. However, the integration process achieved less than desired as witnessed with the collapse of the previous EAC in 1977. This study critically reviewed the role that the East African Community plays in economic integration in the East African region by first reviewing the history of the integration process, its successes and failures and identifying the challenges of the present EAC economic integration process. The major concerns that emerge from this study are the overlapping RECs membership by partner states that continue to pose harmonization and coordination challenges. In addition, there is lack of political commitment among partner states. The East African Community institutions are weak as they lack the capacity to enforce sanctions against partner states who fail to implement agreements. The selection process of the members of these institutions is not democratic as they are handpicked by partner states in the absence of citizens’ views. Finally, issues of non-trade barriers (NTBs), poor infrastructure and limited private sector engagement are an impediment to economic growth in the region. These problems seem to have made building a successful integration process a daunting task for the EAC despite its perceived importance in the increasingly globalized world. Thus, partner states need to take integration not only as a Pan African ideology but more importantly as economic survival strategy