Abstract
One of the most serious difficulties facing the African nations in their attempts to develop their economies stems from the excessive political and economic fragmentation of the African continent. Most of the African nations are too small to provide them with an adequate basis for economic and social progress. To overcome this difficulty, close economic cooperation and eventual integration of various African nations has been frequently suggested.
This study analyzes the issues involved in this process of cooperation and integration in the African context and examines the difficulties experienced in recent past.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balassa, Bela,The Theory of Economic Integration, (R. D. Irwin, Homewood), 1961.
Benoit, Emile,Europe at Sixes and Sevens, (Columbia University Press, New York) 1961.
Birch, A. H., “Opportunities and Problems of Federation,” in R. H. Green and K. G. V. Kirshna,Economic Cooperation in Africa, (Oxford University, Nairobi), 1967.
Cooper, C. A. and B. F. Massel, “A New Look at Customs Union Theory,”Economic Journal, Vol. LXXV, No. 300, December 1965, pp. 742–747.
Green, R. H., and K. G. V. Krishna,Economic Cooperation in Africa, (Oxford University Press, Nairobi), 1967.
Hazelwood, Arthur,African Integration and Disintegration, (Oxford University Press, London), 1967.
Hirschman, Albert,The Strategy of Economic Development, (Yale University Press), 1958.
Leys, C. and P. Robson (eds.),Federation in East Africa (Oxford University Press, Nairobi), 1965.
Liesner, H. H., “Regional Free Trade,” in R. Harrod and D. Hague,International Trade Theory in a Developing World, (St. Martin's Press, New York), 1963.
Magee, James S.,ECA and the Paradox of African Cooperation, (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, New York), 1970.
Mikesell, R. F., “The Theory of Common Markets as Applied to Regional Arrangements Among Developing Countries,” in R. Harrod and D. Hague,International Trade Theory in a Developing World, (St. Martin's Press, New York), 1963.
Perroux, Francois,L'Europe Sans Rivages, (Presses Universitaires de France, Paris), 1954.
Robson, Peter,Economic Integration in Africa, (Allen and Unwin Ltd., London), 1968.
Scitovsky, Tibor, “Integration as a Means to Overcome Small Size,” in E. A. G. Robinson (ed.),Economic Consequences of the Size of Nations, (McMillan and Co., London), 1960.
United Nations, Economic Commission for Africa,Report of the West African Industrial Coordination Mission, (E/CN. 14/246, 1964).
United Nations, Economic Commission for Europe,Economic Survey of Europe Since the War, (Geneva), 1953.
Vakil, C. N., “The Problems of Developing Countries,” in E. A. G. Robinson,Economic Consequences of the Size of Nations, (McMillan and Co., London), 1960.
Weber, Alfred,Theory of Location of Industries, (University of Chicago Press, Chicago), 1929.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Simmons, A. Major issues in regional economic cooperation in Africa. Ann Reg Sci 10, 79–90 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01453554
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01453554