The East African Community- Integration Challenges and Constraints

Regional economic integration processes have been part and parcel of post-colonial Africa. Partner States have taken this as a strategy to overcome polarization, marginalisation and fragmentation. It has served as a way to improve the continent’s position in the present-day global economic order. This paper seeks to examine the challenges and constrains facing the east African community in its bid to achieve a full economic integration state. The paper limits itself to the five member states that form the east Africa community, contextual scope will only deal with literature on the east Africa community. The paper adopted a quolitatative approach by analyzing available literature to arrive at a logical conclusion. The paper found out the following challenges facing east Africa economic integration; reluctance of member States to Cede Sovereignty, economic and development disparities, lack of political will from member states, un-harmonized trade and economic policies, overlapping membership to regional economic and cooperation blocs, transport, communication and technological challenges, human security issue in the East African region-poverty & HIV/AIDS pandemic, food insecurity and climate change effects, threat of globalization and Marginalisation in international markets, and finally threat of counterfeit products. The research concludes that for east Africa community to reach its full economic integration, leaders should work together and iron their differences amicably for the betterment of the regional economic block.

  Keywords: Economic Integration, East Africa Community, Challenges and Constrains