Mission report to conduct interviews with officials of Mercosur, Nafta and the EU with a view to determining policies being pursued by these Regional Cooperation and Integration schemes and identify reasons why they have performed better than African integration entities.

Abstract

This mission report, conducted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), evaluates the performance of regional economic integration schemes in Latin America and North America, specifically MERCOSUR, NAFTA, and the European Union (EU), to identify best practices that can be replicated in Africa. The mission, led by Economic Affairs Officer B. C. Gondwe, took place from March 19 to April 10, 1999, across Montevideo, Washington, and Brussels. The report highlights the challenges faced by Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries in achieving effective regional integration, including small market sizes, lack of diversification, and inadequate policy frameworks. It emphasizes the importance of political preconditions, good governance, and macro-economic stability as critical factors for successful integration.