Prospects for regional integration in West Africa

Africa has seen a number of plans to integrate and merge the economies of various groups of states. Most plans simply remained on paper or made no progress after the first few steps, while the supposed model case in East Africa has been formally dissolved. However, in West Africa, particularly in the French-speaking area, several institutions which have coped successfully with the initial phases of an economic community and which seem to have a clear future have been created. Economist Manfred Hedrich, and Dr Klaus Frhr. von der Ropp of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, Bonn, both of whom have had many years of experience in Africa, proceed on the basis of the fundamental problems posed by the integration of developing countries and examine the prerequisites for actual possibilities and the conditions which must be recognized by countries interested in such integration. In view of such criteria, the Communauti?½ Economique de l'Afrique de l'Quest (Economic Community of West Africa) which includes Senegal, Mauritania, Mali; Niger, Upper Volta and the Ivory Coast would seem to be a special case.