Africa in a World Context

REGIONAL ECONOMIC/TRADE GROUPS

AEC (African Economic Community)

  • Established in 1994; members include all countries in the Organization of African Unity. ECA objectives include;

-Promote economic, social, and cultural development and
  integration of African economies 
-Achieve self-reliant development 
-Removal obstacles to free trade within the AEC

  • Total 1997 GDP: $690 billion

CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) 

  • Formed in 1994; members include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. 
  • The main goal of CEMAC is to promote harmonious development of member states within the framework of economic and monetary union. 
  • Total 1997 GDP: $29 billion

COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa)

  • Established in 1994; members include Angola, Burundi, Comoros, D.R. Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 
  • Goals of COMESA include:

-“Economic prosperity through regional integration.”
-Promotion of trade within COMESA through removal of all internal trade
 tariffs and barriers, including a free trade area beginning in October
 2000.
-Introduction of a common external tariff structure for trade outside of
 COMESA. 
-Eventual economic and monetary integration.

  • Total 1997 GDP: $226 billion


ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

  • Established in 1975; members include Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

  • ECOWAS objectives include:

    -Promoting economic integration “in all fields of economic activity.”

  • Total 1997 GDP: $111 billion


Gambia River Development Authority (OMVG)

  • Founded in 1960; members include Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal.

  • Total 1997 GDP: $13 billion.


IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development)

  • Established in 1986; members include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

  • IGAD objectives include;

    -Promote joint development and harmonize macro-economic policies and
      programs Encourage trade and investment
    -Promote programs and projects to encourage sustainable development of
     natural resources and environmental protection
    -Develop a coordinated and complementary infrastructure in the areas of
      transport, telecommunications, and energy

  • Total 1997 GDP: $84 billion


Organization for the Development of the River Senegal Basin

  • Established in 1972; members include Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.

  • Total 1997 GDP: $13 billion


SADC (Southern African Development Community)

  • Established in 1992; members include Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

  • SADC objectives include:

    -Harmonization and rationalization of policies and strategies for sustainable
     development in all areas.
    -Reduction of trade barriers over 8 years beginning in January 2000.

  • In 1998, South Africa trade with SADC represents around 5%-7% of its total world trade.

  • Total 1997 GDP; $186 billion


UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union)

  • Established in 1994; members include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
  • Regional integration -- as of January 1, 2000, intra-UEMOA tariffs are to be lifted and a common external tariff applied to all other imports.
  • Creation of a single regional market. The UEMOA countries already share a single currency and monetary policy.
  • Total 1997 GDP: $42 billion

UMA (Arab Maghreb Union)

  • Established in 1964; members include Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia.

  • UMA objectives include:

    -Strengthen all forms of ties among member states
    -Ensure regional stability and enhance policy coordination
    -Gradually introduce free trade in goods, services, and factors of production

  • Total 1997 GDP; $223 billion