TITLE:
Challenging Regionalism in Africa. What Alternative Strategy for African Economies and Markets?
AUTHORS:
François Lisalu Bofando, Georges Olemanu Lohalo, Mirela Imsirovic, Betao Ngoma Mushinda, Piaget Mpoto Balebo, Michel Yemba Nonga, Muhammad Mutawalli Mukhlis
KEYWORDS:
Regionalism, Integration, Interconnection, African Economies and Markets
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Political Science,
Vol.16 No.1,
January
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: In Africa, for decades, the issue of regional integration has been at the center of debates on the continent’s development. This development model aimed to bring together countries located in the same geographical area with a view to creating a vast, homogeneous, and integrated market. The idea that African countries should move towards economic integration was consolidated through the adoption of the Lagos Plan, the Abuja Treaty, the Omega Plan, NEPAD, and the treaty establishing the free trade area. This article revisits the failure of Balassa’s economic integration model in Africa and focuses on examining the model of interconnection between African economies and markets, which is rightly presented as an alternative strategy. This failure can be explained by the inadequacy of the programs adopted and implemented to date by the African Union and various regional economic communities.