Regional Developmentalism through Law Establishing an African Economic Community Routledge Research in International Law Series

Offering a study of regionalism in Africa and investigating the ways in which law can be used to address the issues raised by regional processes on the continent, this book examines the African Economic Community, considering that it has been entrusted to coordinate and to harmonize policies between various Regional Economic Communities (RECs) across the continent, thereby influencing the continent?s approach towards regional integration.

It seeks to identify how law can be used to strengthen the African RECs while ensuring that they achieve their goal of promoting regional development across the continent. Drawing upon economic and political theories, and using a critical doctrinal analysis of legal texts and norms, the book uncovers the legal and economic underpinnings of the model of regional integration followed by the regional schemes operating under the banner of the AEC, aiming to contribute to the search for effective methods to ensure the success of these various initiatives.

Proposing the concept of "Regional Developmentalism Through Law" as the most suitable conceptual framework to support the effective establishment of an African Economic Community, this book will be of interest to researchers, academics and policy makers interested in the correlation between law, regional integration and development in Africa.

1. Introduction 2. Regionalism, Law and Development 3. Political Economy of Regionalism in Africa 4. Contextualising the concept of integration through law 5. The establishment of a Common Market within the European Community 6. Regional developmentalism through law within SADC, ECOWAS and EAC 7. The Issue of Harmonisation within the AU/AEC 8. Conclusion

Jonathan Bashi Rudahindwa is a Lecturer at the School of Law, Gender and Media at SOAS, University of London. His research interests are International Economic Law and Development