Title: Challenges to regional economic integration in the Southern African Development Community bloc

Authors: Jephias Mapuva

Addresses: Department of Geography (Development Studies), Faculty of Science, Bindura University of Science Education, P.O. Box 1020, Bindura, Zimbabwe

Abstract: While different regional economic communities (RECs) have sought to grapple with economic and political challenges within their areas of jurisdiction, those of the SADC are unique in that they are inundated with many and varied such challenges. These challenges have negatively impacted on the region's propensity to provide economic benefits to the people of the region, unlike other groupings which have identified ways of dealing with their challenges. Among the most prevalent challenge to SADCs economic development has been the low gross domestic product (GDP) that has characterised the region's economic standing. Most importantly, the different challenges in the SADC have cumulatively impacted on the region's economic integration, although the conditions created by the region's members' small economies would have been ideal for regional economic integration and development.

Keywords: regional integration; economic integration; community; Southern African Development Community; SADC bloc; gross domestic product; GDP; historical background; economic development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLAP.2014.063007

International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2014 Vol.4 No.3, pp.309 - 319

Published online: 21 Nov 2014 *

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