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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue May 10 2011 - 08:13:25 EDT
*Regional Integration and Human Development: A pathway for
Africa<http://content.undp.org/go/cms-service/download/publication/?version=live&id=3273677>
*
http://content.undp.org/go/cms-service/download/publication/?version=live&id=3273677
[10/05/11] The report discusses four main channels linking integration and
human development: income; access to services, empowerment, and
sustainability. It assesses how factors common to many countries might
condition the impacts of regional integration on human development. This
qualitative analysis is supplemented with simulations of regional
integration processes within Africa and beyond ....
Although Africa has made commendable efforts toward regional integration in
recent years—including the adoption of the Accra Declaration to accelerate
the economic and political integration of the African continent and the
establishment of regional economic communities such as the Southern African
Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa
(CO MESA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECO
WAS)—progress has been slow and difficult. Further regional economic
integration could compensate for the disadvantage of being landlocked and
the fragmentation that limits market size and denies economies of scale to
many countries. Expanded integration could also create
opportunities for resilience by pooling capacities to respond to
vulnerabilities.
Although tariff reductions and the creation of customs unions across the
region are steps in the right direction, deeper levels of integration
involving investments in infrastructure, technological upgrading and policy
harmonization are likely to lead to the largest human development benefits.
This can further enhance competitiveness, productivity and employment,
especially for young people in a region severely challenged in these areas.
Broader integration and cooperation in complementary sectors would not only
support the economic potential of the region, but reinforce broad human
development. If greater labour mobility is managed in a way that protects
migrants and respects human rights—particularly of women and young
workers—it would contribute not only to incomes but also to empowerment. If
regional integration provides an impetus to better manage cross-border
natural resources, this would support the notion of sustainability inherent
in the human development paradigm.
For full report
http://content.undp.org/go/cms-service/download/publication/?version=live&id=3273677
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