The challenges of regional integration in Southern Africa

Abstract

Regional integration is increasingly being accepted as essential in facilitating economic and political
development. Yet dominant development theories informing policy have yet to integrate ‘integration
theory’ into their models. In Southern Africa, the attempt to achieve regional integration using
‘disintegrative’ development models has led to paralysis and pain. This paper highlights this contradiction
and shows that regional integration presupposes complementary economic policies and productive
structures. Economic nationalism and the mono-cultural production of raw materials militate against
regional integration and this explains why in Southern Africa there is so much inertia but little progress.