Comments on: A Primer to Economic Regional Integration in Africa http://www.legalfrontiers.ca/2010/01/a-primer-to-economic-regional-integration-in-africa/ McGill's Blog on International Law Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:16:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Emmanuel.K.Bensah Jr http://www.legalfrontiers.ca/2010/01/a-primer-to-economic-regional-integration-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Emmanuel.K.Bensah Jr Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:10:19 +0000 http://www.legalfrontiers.ca/?p=520#comment-98 I was just about to read your interesting piece when I was struck by the inaccuracy of some facts about ECOWAS: 1. ECOWAS was established in 1975; its treaty was revised in 1993! 2. ECOWAS is still struggling with a unified currency among 5 anglophone countries of Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone [though Guinea is not anglophone!]. Set to launch in 2015 and will be called "Eco". CFA is currency tied to France and used by francophone ECOWAS members who are also members of UEMOA, second regional grouping in West Africa I hope to enjoy the rest of your piece! Good luck in South Africa! I was just about to read your interesting piece when I was struck by the inaccuracy of some facts about ECOWAS:
1. ECOWAS was established in 1975; its treaty was revised in 1993!
2. ECOWAS is still struggling with a unified currency among 5 anglophone countries of Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone [though Guinea is not anglophone!]. Set to launch in 2015 and will be called “Eco”. CFA is currency tied to France and used by francophone ECOWAS members who are also members of UEMOA, second regional grouping in West Africa

I hope to enjoy the rest of your piece! Good luck in South Africa!

]]> By: Nafay Choudhury http://www.legalfrontiers.ca/2010/01/a-primer-to-economic-regional-integration-in-africa/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Nafay Choudhury Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:59:33 +0000 http://www.legalfrontiers.ca/?p=520#comment-22 The immediate question that comes to my mind is whether peace (and thus stability) needs to precede regional trade and economic integration or vice-versa. Regional conflicts certainly have negative consequences on operability of the various economic institutions set up throughout Africa. Conflict is a problem in many parts of Africa, and the fact that mischievous trade actors could hide behind the "walls" of sovereignty would be a huge barrier (if not the greatest barrier) to regional integration. The immediate question that comes to my mind is whether peace (and thus stability) needs to precede regional trade and economic integration or vice-versa. Regional conflicts certainly have negative consequences on operability of the various economic institutions set up throughout Africa. Conflict is a problem in many parts of Africa, and the fact that mischievous trade actors could hide behind the “walls” of sovereignty would be a huge barrier (if not the greatest barrier) to regional integration.

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