The changing context for regional integration in southern Africa: how adaptive are its regional institutions?

Abstract

This commentary examines the performance of southern Africa's regional institutions against the backdrop of the changing regional context since the late 1990s. The first section reflects on the relationship between successive geopolitical changes and efforts to keep the Southern African Customs Union, Southern African Development Coordination Conference and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa relevant over time, as well as the frequent mismatch between the ambitions for regional integration institutions and the evolving realities. Thereafter, I consider how far the optimism that post-apartheid South Africa would transform itself from regional pariah to leading partner in reaping collective peace dividends has been borne out, using the examples of recent trends in conflict and instability, in nationalism and nation building and in infrastructure and communications. Finally, the fitness of current institutions to address new challenges in the form of global environmental/climate change, the ongoing urbanisation and the increasing engagements by China and India in the region is assessed.

Trade Regionalism, Decolonization-Bordering and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development

“…Under NEPAD pluralistic trade relations, this principle of thumb will remain impossible at both the RECs and continental scales. NEPAD does not provide for decolonization-bordering at the RECs or AU scales; and, as a tool for Africa's trade regionalism it must be considered to have already failed (Simon, 2010;Tsheola, 2010). This paper concludes that NEPAD pluralistic trade regionalism cannot extricate Africa from colonial trade-bordering imposture.…”

Editorial: The SAGJ and 2010

“…Whether in their historical or contemporary outlook, the fitness of southern Africa's regional institutions in dealing with a host of challenges such as urbanization and global environmental/climate change is questionable (see Simon 2010). The rate of urbanization and patterns of migration were not considered thoroughly when the agendas for regional integration were initially put in place.…”

Secession and South Sudan: an African precedent for the future?

“…Recent debates in the South African Geographical Journal have focused upon issues of African continental and regional unity and cooperation, drawing parallels with European experience (Ramutsindela 2009, Bachmann and Sidaway 2010, Simon 2010. In much of Europe, increased levels of continental economic and political integration have resulted in a greater toleration of movements promoting local autonomy, even independence, if pursued within a constitutional framework.…”