"Asia and Africa today"
- is a scientificl monthly journal (in Russian)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Included in Russian Science Citation Index on
WoS platform, and EBSCO Publishing.
ISSN 0321-5075. Published since July 1957.

"Asia and Africa today" № 5 2020

Title

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY: 20 YEARS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION

DOI

10.31857/S032150750009550-7

Аuthor

Nassor M. MANSOUR (Tanzania)
Post-graduate student, Department of political economy, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

Abstract:

   The article analyzes the processes of socio-economic development and regional economic integration within the SOUTH-East African communit.

   The study is important because of the relevance of the analysis of regional economic integration processes in developing countries, especially in Africa, in the context of growing global instability and protectionist trends in world trade. On the other hand, integration into the world economy for African countries is significantly facilitated with the support of partner countries in the integration bloc. The author analyzed statistical data from the international database of UNCTAD on the main macroeconomic indicators of socio-economic and integration development of the EAC countries since 2000, the year of the creation of the East African community.

   The author has revealed that socio-economic and integration processes within the framework of the East African community have developed steadily and steadily. This was reflected both in the growth of GDP and per capita income, as well as intraregional trade. In addition to quantitative indicators, we can also talk about qualitative changes, such as the gradual transformation of the industry structure of the EAC countries – from mainly agricultural to service and, to a lesser extent, industrial. Among the problems, the author highlights the high differentiation and low level of development of market structures, as well as the duplicate membership of the EAC countries in other regional economic communities.

   These and other problems make it difficult to further develop the complete Common market of the East African community. This research makes a significant contribution to understanding the nature and features of integration processes in the East African community.

Keywords: East African community, EAC, regional economic integration, Customs Union, Common market, intraregional trade
Pages 42-46