Regional Integration in East Africa, Its Challenges and Lessons From the European Union Integration
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Date
2015Author
Moywaywa, George M
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Regional integration is common place in the contemporary world in which a group of
States deliberately come together to pursue a common purpose. Interest in regionalism is
both a response to and as a consequence of emerging trends in the global political and
economic order1. Hans Van Ginkel defines regional integration as the process by which
States within a particular region increase the level of interaction with regard to economic,
security, political, social and cultural issues.2 It is a shift of certain national activities
towards a new centre. It is the process by which political actors in distinct national
settings are persuaded to shift their loyalties, expectations towards a new centre whose
institutions possess or demand jurisdiction over pre-existing nation-states3. It entails the
coming together of two or more states, normally through reciprocal preferential
agreements. Regional integration usually happens in five stages which shall be discussed
in this study. Basically it begins with the removal of trade restrictions, through
establishment of a Common Market and ends in the formation of a Political Union. This
study will analyze the course regional integration in East Africa has taken, its
achievements so far and the challenges that hinder the full realization of its objectives
which include the formation of a political union. The study will delve into the European
Union given that it is the most successful example of regional integration and is credited
with inspiring integration in other regions of the World and seeks to determine lessons
that the EAC can draw from the EU so as to make good its quest to integrate successfully.
Publisher
University of Nairobi