Regional Groupings Must Focus on Uniform Social-Economic Progress
By: Bright Malenga
OPINION: Regional groupings are catalysts for the progress of countries. Both Bilateral and Multilateral relationships are vital in several aspects. For example, regional groupings agree to remove or minimise trade barriers among its member countries and sometimes comparative advantage takes a leading role in making sure that all member countries are benefiting from the cordial relationship.
Examples of regional groupings are The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), The East African Community ( EAC) and The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).
My emphasis will be on SADC and EAC. Some of the countries in SADC are Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
EAC is an intergovernmental organization composed of six countries in the African Great Lakes region in Eastern Africa. These countries are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda , South Sudan, Tanzania , and Uganda.
Economic progress in SADC is diverse and countries in this region are not in the same lane social economically. What I mean here is that some countries are developing at very fast purse than others. For example, Zambia can't be compered to Malawi economically and we can't compare any country in this region to South Africa economically. Zambia is progressing well economically than Malawi in all angles. Be it infrastructural development or value of domestic currencies against major currencies such as US Dollar and British Pound.
South Africa is at the helm in this region social economically.
I think as countries in the same region, social-economic growth would have been facing a slight difference not it is at the moment. Should we say that during annual meetings, Head of States don't bang heads on the secrets that are making other countries to be progressing well economically than others? Should it be because SADC countries have been having party politics not movements since gaining independence? Should It be because these countries received independence randomly ? For example, South Africa got its independence in 1991 while Malawi got it's independence in 1963. A big gap. I don't know.
The case is different with EAC whereby countries in this region are progressing well. For example, countries like Rwanda, South Sudan are peaking well economically despite being under siege for some years. The countries now are able to produce and export valuable things produced domestically to the world market.
In East African Community (EAC), countries have minimum or even zero trade barriers that according to me , enable these countries to be in the same lane when it comes to social- economic progress. For example, infrastructural development in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya is quite intriguing and with the same purse.
Roads, Airports and Buildings in Capitals Cities of these countries are impressive compared to the ones in SADC region. Is it because these countries used to have movements not political parties since independence? Is it because Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya got independence in 1961,1962,1963 respectively? I don't know.
Regional groupings can be significant if all countries are taking the same direction social- economically. East African Community (EAC) is a good example of that. Southern African Development Community (SADC) can emulate. It is just an opinion but I don't know.
Bright Malenga 2018.
 |
| New Uganda road which connects Entebbe Airport to Uganda's Capital, Kampala. |
OPINION: Regional groupings are catalysts for the progress of countries. Both Bilateral and Multilateral relationships are vital in several aspects. For example, regional groupings agree to remove or minimise trade barriers among its member countries and sometimes comparative advantage takes a leading role in making sure that all member countries are benefiting from the cordial relationship.
Examples of regional groupings are The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), The East African Community ( EAC) and The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA).
My emphasis will be on SADC and EAC. Some of the countries in SADC are Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
EAC is an intergovernmental organization composed of six countries in the African Great Lakes region in Eastern Africa. These countries are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda , South Sudan, Tanzania , and Uganda.
Economic progress in SADC is diverse and countries in this region are not in the same lane social economically. What I mean here is that some countries are developing at very fast purse than others. For example, Zambia can't be compered to Malawi economically and we can't compare any country in this region to South Africa economically. Zambia is progressing well economically than Malawi in all angles. Be it infrastructural development or value of domestic currencies against major currencies such as US Dollar and British Pound.
South Africa is at the helm in this region social economically.
I think as countries in the same region, social-economic growth would have been facing a slight difference not it is at the moment. Should we say that during annual meetings, Head of States don't bang heads on the secrets that are making other countries to be progressing well economically than others? Should it be because SADC countries have been having party politics not movements since gaining independence? Should It be because these countries received independence randomly ? For example, South Africa got its independence in 1991 while Malawi got it's independence in 1963. A big gap. I don't know.
The case is different with EAC whereby countries in this region are progressing well. For example, countries like Rwanda, South Sudan are peaking well economically despite being under siege for some years. The countries now are able to produce and export valuable things produced domestically to the world market.
In East African Community (EAC), countries have minimum or even zero trade barriers that according to me , enable these countries to be in the same lane when it comes to social- economic progress. For example, infrastructural development in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya is quite intriguing and with the same purse.
Roads, Airports and Buildings in Capitals Cities of these countries are impressive compared to the ones in SADC region. Is it because these countries used to have movements not political parties since independence? Is it because Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya got independence in 1961,1962,1963 respectively? I don't know.
Regional groupings can be significant if all countries are taking the same direction social- economically. East African Community (EAC) is a good example of that. Southern African Development Community (SADC) can emulate. It is just an opinion but I don't know.
Bright Malenga 2018.
Comments
Post a Comment