Regionalism and WTO Multilateralism: The Case for an African Continental Free Trade Area

This article highlights the importance of regional integration to economic development in Africa and how it can be a way of enhancing trade expansion in the continent. It provides a critique of the current move of the African Union to establish a continent-wide free trade area in the continent by 2017 whilst identifying some of the challenges that may be associated with the pursuit of that goal. The article examines the relevant provisions of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty) that may be helpful in promoting socio-economic development through regionalism in Africa. It links the formation of regional trade areas to economic development and argues that regionalism can play a key role in addressing many of the challenges inhibiting economic development in Africa.