Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa: Beyond EPAs; Surviving Internal Fragmentation

The document reports on a November 2008 conference regarding regional integration in southern Africa. It argues that while EPAs have contributed to the fragmentation of regional economic bodies, they have also forced a necessary debate on the inefficiency of overlapping memberships in regional economic communities (RECs). The report notes a shift in preference away from linear integration models (like customs unions) toward simpler free trade agreements (FTAs) and infrastructure development. It specifically examines the roles of SADC, COMESA, and the EAC, as well as the Tripartite Alliance and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

• Overlapping memberships in various regional economic communities (RECs) have created a complex system of competing commitments and differing rules, which increases the cost of intra-Africa trade and hinders trade facilitation.
• Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) have generally exacerbated the fragmentation of African regional economic bodies, with the East African Community being the only noted exception where the opposite occurred.
• There is a detectable shift in preference among scholars and policymakers away from the linear integration model—moving from free trade agreements to customs unions—toward simpler FTAs focused on the practicalities of easing cross-border trade and infrastructure development.
• The Tripartite Alliance between COMESA, SADC, and the EAC was established to resolve challenges from overlapping memberships; however, while it has political support, some believe its long-term goal of a customs union is less viable than its original focus on an FTA.
• Intra-Africa trade constitutes just over 10% of total trade, and many existing customs unions are considered ineffective due to persistent internal barriers.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa: Beyond EPAs; Surviving Internal Fragmentation. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_cnf_epa_conference_report_20081124.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa: Beyond EPAs; Surviving Internal Fragmentation. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_cnf_epa_conference_report_20081124.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa: Beyond EPAs; Surviving Internal Fragmentation |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_cnf_epa_conference_report_20081124.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndregional, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Regional Economic Integration in Southern Africa: Beyond EPAs; Surviving Internal Fragmentation}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/dttp_cnf_epa_conference_report_20081124.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }