Aguibou Y. Yansane

THE STATE OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION IN NORTH WEST AFRICA SOUTH OF THE SAHARA: THE EMERGENCE OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)

The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent African regional cooperation can be of assistance in building economic foundations that would provide viability for the new states and to what degree this would generate self-sufficiency, integrated economies, decolonization, and a reduction of the dependence resulting from inherited institutional structures. Because political unions tend to be short-lived, it seems clear that the organizing units must be based on the principles of maintaining sovereignty of national entities and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. Nevertheless, since all modern African states aspire toward political union, it is necessary to ask the question of to what extent and under which conditions can regional cooperation be a step in that direction.

Guinea: The significance of the coup of April 1984 and economic issues

Abstract While external factors exacerbated underdevelopment, internal factors were probably the main causes of Guineas troubles between 1958 and 1984. Guinea under military rule is profoundly affected by past economic and administrative mismanagement. With the assistance of international financial institutions, a stabilization and structural adjustment package is gradually bringing some balance to the economy. But austerity has bred new hardships, though of lesser magnitude than those of the preceding era. The government must balance public sentiment about increasing market prices for basic commodities against structural adjustment policy imperatives.

Development strategies in Africa : current economic, socio-political, and institutional trends and issues

preface Introduction: The Development of Development Thinking in Africa: The Theory Revisited by A.Y. Yansane Global Perspectives Evaluation of Development Strategies: Prospects for Growth in Africa in the 1990s by Ismail Serageldin Traditional Institutions and Economic Development: The Mossi Naam by Elliott P. Skinner Afrostroika and Planned Governance: Economic Adjustment and political Engineering by Ali Mazrui The Challenge of a Holistic Vision: Culture, Empowerment and the Development Paradigm by Ismail Serageldin Comments of Discussants Growth, Development, and Social Dimension of Structural Adjustment Fund Supported Adjustment Programs and the Poor by Peter Heller The Social Dimensions of Adjustment in Africa by the World Banks Social Dimensions of Adjustment Unit, Washington, D.C. Comments of Discussants Participation, Pluralism, and Pervasive Poverty: Better Governance and Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa Participation, Pluralism and Pervasive Poverty: Better Governance and Human Development in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) by Reginald Herbold Green Problems and Projections in Political and Economic Development and the Impact of International Relations Africa in an Emerging World by His Excellency, Professor Ibrahim Gambari African Political Development: Beyond the Cold War by Samuel C. Nolutshungu Comments of Discussants Conclusion by A.Y. Yansane Selected Bibliography Index

The economic community of West African States (ECOWAS)

There are 6 levels of regional economic integration: the economic unifying process. The regions or countries will take different measures on different levels. As shown in the following figure, there are 6 general measures: infrastructure construction, implementation of a common external tariff, elimination of internal tariff obstacles, free movement of people, building of an economic and monetary union, as well as the set-up of supra-national legislation and legal systems. This table indicates that the more measures are implemented, the greater the integration of regional economies will be.

Some Problems of Monetary Dependency in West African States of French Colonial Legacy

ConclusionSome advantages of the franc zone and the Operation account to the Paris exchange market may have existed and still exist for the UMOA member states. These financial arrangements may have provided relative monetary stability to the Monetary Union of West African states. But they still favor French Treasury by bringing foreign currency to the Paris Exchange market.

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE IN THE THIRD WORLD

A comparative description is given of the political economy of agriculture in three Third World countries (Mali, Niger and Upper Volta.) Political and economic factors that limit the production of food in these countries are discussed. The potential development of alternative modes of agriculture is analyzed in terms of constraints imposed on these countries by the world political economy.