Regional integration in Southern Africa: Evidence from the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Abstract
This article provides an informative review of regional integration in Southern Africa by drawing lessons and evidence from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It provides for a review of literature on the SADC from a regional integration perspective. SADC has expanded into a more expansive regional organisation in response to the challenges faced in the 1990s, and it currently includes South Africa, the region’s superpower. Furthermore, trade integration is receiving more attention, despite not being a main debate point at the Southern African Development Co-Ordinating Conference (SADCC). The SADC Trade Protocol has been decisive in trade integration. The purpose of the Protocol is to ensure that companies operating in each of the nations in the region may fairly compete to service the 150 million customers that comprise the market as a whole. It is anticipated that regional free trade will increase the likelihood of economic growth, increase intra-SADC commercial activity, create jobs, and elevate the standard of living for SADC residents.
References
Schenoni LL. The Southern African unipolarity. Journal of Contemporary African Studies. 2017; 36(2): 207-228. doi: 10.1080/02589001.2017.1364355
Zacarias A. SADC: From a system to community of security? African Security Review. 1998; 7(6): 44-61. doi: 10.1080/10246029.1998.9628007
Silberman B. SADCC: A Progress Report. CSIS Africa Notes. 1983; 11: 4.
Hwang KD. The Historical Evolution of SADC(C) and Regionalism in Southern Africa. International Area Review. 2007; 10(1): 55-72. doi: 10.1177/223386590701000104
Hartzenberg T. Regional integration arrangements in Southern Africa: SADC and SACU. In: Iqbal Z, Khan M (editors). Trade Reform and Regional Integration in Africa. International Monetary Fund; 1998.
Kalenga P. Regional Integration in SADC: Retreating or Forging Ahead. Trade Law Centre (TRALAC); 2012.
Davies R, O’Meara D. Total strategy in Southern Africa: An analysis of South African regional policy since 1978. Journal of Southern African Studies. 1985; 11(2): 183-211. doi: 10.1080/03057078508708096.
Price RM. Pretoria’s Southern African strategy. African Affairs. 1984; 83(330): 11-32. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a097578
Hawkins AM. Economic development in the SADCC countries. In: Towards a Post-Apartheid Future: Political and Economic Relations in Southern Africa. Palgrave Macmillan; 1992. pp. 105-131.
Chipeta C. Review and Rationalisation of the SADC Programme of Action: Main report. SADC; 1997.
McCarthy C. The Southern African Customs Union in a Changing Economic and Political Environment. Journal of World Trade. 1992; 26(Issue 4): 5-24. doi: 10.54648/trad1992021
Chauvin S, Gaulier G. Prospects for increasing trade among SADC countries. Available online: https://www.tips.org.za/files/555.pdf (accessed on 12 December 2023).
Langa N. Investigating South Africa’ Foreign Policy towards the SADC Region: The Case Study of the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2009-2018 [Master’s thesis]. University of Limpopo; 2020.
SADC. SADC Trade Protocol Article 2. SADC; 1996.
McCarthy CL. South African Trade and Industrial Policy in a Regional Context. Lund University; 1996. p. 19.
Mbongwe T, Nyagol BO, Amunkete T, et al. April. Understanding competition at the regional level: An assessment of competitive dynamics in the cement industry across Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. African Competition Forum Draft Paper for presentation at pre-ICN conference; 2014.
McCarthy C. Industrial Policy in Southern African Regional Integration and Development. Tralac; 2014.
Holland M. South Africa, SADC, and the European Union: Matching Bilateral with Regional Policies. The Journal of Modern African Studies. 1995; 33(2): 263-283. doi: 10.1017/s0022278x00021066
Mahembe E. Foreign Direct Investment Inflows and Economic Growth in SADC Countries: A Panel Data Approach [PhD thesis]. University of South Africa; 2014.
Cawthra G. The Role of SADC in Managing Political Crisis and Conflict: The Cases of Madagascar and Zimbabwe. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung; 2010.
Copyright (c) 2024 Bhavna Mahadew
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Submit a Paper
