Abstract

Regional integration is an important tool in the development of CEMAC countries. It is an instrument that creates the spirit of belongingness and oneness among member countries. It gives countries the opportunity to create markets and security. The main objective of this study was to find out the prospects and challenges of regional integration in CEMAC sub region, case study: Cameroon.

The research study used the qualitative research design. Findings revealed that regional integration is still a story and far fetching. In addition, findings showed that most CEMAC countries face instability which is one of the causes of the deceleration of regional integration. The study recommends that to accelerate the integration, the priority of economic integration must be balanced by those of social, cultural, and political integration. Policy instruments, especially for overlapping CEMAC member nations, need to be harmonized.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

Economic integration is not a new phenomenon in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) zone. With a view to overcoming structural handicaps to development and reaping advantages of regional integration, Central African countries committed themselves since independence to the process of integration. Indeed, regional integration in Central Africa has a long history, which dates from the colonial era when some Central African territories formed the federation of “Afrique Equatoriale Française”.

In 1964, UDEAC, a structure designed to promote intra-regional trade among Central African countries was created in Brazzaville (Congo). Reflecting the inward-looking regionalization that was a la mode in the 1960s, UDEAC subsequently erected a highly distorted, fragmented, and ad hoc, import-substitution trade policy under the guise of regional integration.

In 1994, UDEAC was restructured to cope with the challenges emanating from excessive protection, low customs revenue, intra-regional distortions in production, and the low level of trade with the rest of the world. It was later renamed the UEAC. The “Union Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale” and UEAC became CEMAC by a treaty signed in 1994. Some authors like Gankou and Ntah, trace the origins of integration to the Afrique Equatoriale Francaise (AEF), during the period of French colonial rule (Gankou, and Ntah, 2008: 1).

Others like Mayer have argued that the idea of a Central African sub-region dates back to the German colonial era (Mayer, 2006: 10). Quite apart from this association of the origins of integration with the colonial past of CEMAC states, N’Kodia argues that the experience of integration in Central Africa is ‘the result of the progressive assertion of a pan-African conscience and the quest for independence born out of colonization’ (N’Kodia, 1999: 33)

Whichever position one takes, it is clear that there is a strong historical basis for integration among CEMAC states. It is thus understandable that the first formal economic integration scheme among independent states of Central Africa, the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC), was created only four years after independence. The treaty establishing UDEAC was signed on the 8 December 1964 in Congo Brazzaville and entered into force on the 1 January 1966 (N’Kodia, 1999: 38). The main objectives of UDEAC were to liberalize trade among members and adopt a common external tariff for non-members. It also aimed at harmonizing investment and industrial policies. As a sub-regional project, it was the oldest in Central Africa and one of the most ambitious (Zafar  and Kubota, 2003: 5). UDEAC however failed to meet its objectives and was replaced in 1994 by CEMAC.

The treaty instituting CEMAC was signed on the 16 March 1994 by Cameroon, Gabon, Congo Brazzville, Chad, the CAR and Equatorial Guinea. This treaty entered into force in December 1999. The main objectives of the CEMAC are to strengthen relations between member states and promote a spirit of solidarity within the sub-region, and to promote national markets through the elimination obstacles to trade, the coordination of development programs, the harmonization of industrial projects and the creation of a common market.

This work, essentially deals with CEMAC countries including: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon, although our analysis will also grapple with general issues related to ECCAS which is a wider initiative in the process of regional integration in Central Africa. The six (6) countries of CEMAC are partially linked by economic ties and more by history. Despite its vast geographic area of roughly 3 million square kilometres, Central Africa is however the smallest sub-region of the current African regional arrangements, with a population of about 31 million inhabitants which is less than the population of a country like Tanzania (about 37 million inhabitants in 2004) and only a quarter of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (about 127 million inhabitants in 2004) as in (Gankou and Ntah, 2008: 2).

It is however observed that, a number of real positive factors for integration and cooperation exist in Central Africa: institutional background, cooperative initiatives and projects, commonalities, coordinated approaches, and natural cultural affinities.  First and foremost, regional integration in Central Africa has a long institutional history which could be harnessed to accelerate its evolution. Indeed, as mentioned in the introduction to work, from the colonial era with “Afrique Equatoriale Française” to CEMAC in 1994, starting with UDEAC in 1964, Central African States have a long institutional tradition of regional integration, which is capitalized on by the creation of the CEMAC Commission that is expected to be structured along the lines of the European Commission (ECA/AU, 2006).

As far as CEMAC is concerned, its architecture was ratified in December 1999, almost five years after the Treaty was signed (March 1994). Its organic texts provide a blueprint of the objectives of the economic union-the creation of a common market for goods, services, capital and eventual free movement of people, plus a concomitant change of strategy from inward looking import substitution to more open regionalism.

The Community’s objectives were to be achieved through the customs union and the monetary union and special attention to macroeconomic policy convergence and coordinated sector policies. The common market was to be completed at the end of three 5-year phases. CEMAC’s Executive Secretariat, in Bangui, was the operational branch of the Community and was under the authority of the executive organs, the Conference of Heads of State, which meets at least once a year, and the Council of Ministers, which decides all major policies.

The Executive Secretariat is different from the UEMOA Commission in that it does not include Commissioners appointed by the member states and is, therefore, closer to the ECOWAS Executive Secretariat model. Another institutional driver for integration, and indirectly for facilitating links with UEMOA (West Africa Economic and Monetary Union), is the implementation of the unified, and modernized, business law under the OHADA program which has been adopted by 16 francophone Africa countries, including all the CEMAC countries. OHADA is described as a legal instrument designed and realized by Africa to serve African integration and growth. Its Permanent Secretariat is based in Yaoundé (Cameroon) (Cameroon Tribune No.8832/5031 of 18th April 2007).

Secondly, there are a number of specific cooperative initiatives and projects which can contribute to strengthening regional integration. One can mention the US$ 3.7 billion Cameroon-Chad pipeline project which is one of the largest of its kind, and which is expected to create a strong link –both physical and as a cooperative framework- for integration between one of the poorer landlocked countries and the richer coastal neighbour.

Another sphere of cooperation is the project for the modernization of the system of bank payments, which involves all the six countries and their banking sector. Finally, the sharing of environmental information under the multi-year Regional Environmental Information Management Project (REIMP) started in 1998, and the “Conseil des Ministres des Fôrets d’Afrique Centrale” (COMIFAC), which includes the Democratic Republic of Congo, have created a framework for regional cooperation in natural resource management.

Thirdly, the countries of Central Africa share a number of commonalities (both positive and negative externalities) that by their very nature raise trans-border issues that are best managed in cooperation. The Tropical forest and water systems are the most common public goods. Among the common “bads”, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has a specific dimension in the transmission of the disease along the transport corridor – roads and rivers – that link the coast and the hinterland. Two regional health organizations exist: the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office based in Brazzaville and the (now revamped) Organisation de Lutte Contre les Grandes Endémies.

Fourthly, a unified, or at least, coordinated Central Africa region would be a stronger voice in “post Doha” and other important international trade negotiations in the future. Acting in consultation may improve returns; for instance, CEMAC has been able to join forces with ECOWAS to help put the issue of cotton prices on the international agenda.

Fifthly, the trans-national nature of a large number of ethnic groups in Central Africa ensures relative homogeneity from the standpoint of cultural traditions and to some extent of behaviours and religious beliefs. All CEMAC countries are concerned with this phenomenon. For instance, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon share the Fang ethnic group. Cameroon, Congo and Gabon share the Bakwele and Njem ethnic groups.

Likewise, the ethnic group Gbaya is present in Cameroon and in the CAR. The ethnic groups Toupouri, Moundang, Arabes-Choas and Kotoko are present in Cameroon and in Chad. Lastly, Congo and Gabon share the ethnic groups Maka, Njem, Echira, Teke and Kora. This prominent cultural and ethnic proximity between CEMAC countries can promote large border movements of populations and hence, boost several dimensions of regional integration in this sub-region.

1.2. Statement of problem

Almost two decades after its creation CEMAC has also not delivered on its objectives. Several reasons have been advanced for the poor performance of economic integration within the CEMAC framework. The main reasons advanced include the absence of community identity, the weak nature of the economies, devaluation and structural adjustment, debt burden, and the near absence of sub-regional leadership (Nyatte, in Abwa., Essomba, et al, 2001).

Of these, one can argue that the near absence of leadership appears to play a determining role. Lessons from other parts of the world show that leadership plays a very central role in the development of a regional integration scheme. In Europe, Germany and France have played a determining role. In West Africa, the leading role of Nigeria has been important for the development of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), while Senegal and Ivory Coast have constituted the centre of stimulus for the more restricted West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). But this is not the case in the CEMAC zone.

Here, no state or couple of states has assumed a leadership role. It appears evident that Cameroon and Gabon can jointly exercise leadership, because history and natural endowment give this couple the potential for stewardship in the sub-region that cannot be associated with any other pair. However they are yet to do so, partly as a result of obstacles originating with the two states and other member states of CEMAC as well as some extra-regional players, particularly France. With this view, this research attempts an inquiry with regards to the prospects of CEMAC to identify the challenges of the sub regional organization.

1.3 Research Questions

1. What are the factors that impede regional integration in the CEMAC Sub-region?
2. In which ways does leadership affect the smooth functioning of regional integration in the CEMAC sub-region?
3. What are the possible solutions to overcome the challenges affecting regional integration in the CEMAC sub region?

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