Revista Conjuntura Austral (Nov 2011)
Regional Economic Integration in West Africa: A Critical View
Abstract
The regional economic blocs are today important tools in the fight against poverty, underdevelopment and the global economy and integration in West Africa (WA) presents one of the regions most affected. Aware of this reality, the article deals with the hypothesis that integration is the condition sine qua non even if insufficient for the development of WA. The objective is to demonstrate the various integrationist initiatives in WA, the achievements obtained despite the specificity of the region, as well as the odds and obstacles encountered. We conclude that despite all the problems and even if such integration does not follow Western standards, the establishment of a monetary union without a minimum area itself is a success, some critics oppose this form of Western literature ever catalog failures of the African integration.
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