The role of regional value chains in fostering regional integration in Southern Africa

Regional integration is making steady progress in Africa and a key objective is to improve the prospects for industrialisation by expanding the regional market. The paper draws on a combination of trade data analysis and industry case studies to better understand the links and synergies between regi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Development southern Africa (Sandton, South Africa) South Africa), 2021-01, Vol.38 (1), p.39-56
Main Authors: Black, Anthony, Edwards, Lawrence, Ismail, Faizel, Makundi, Brian, Morris, Mike
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apparel industry
Case studies
Data analysis
Exports
Food
food retailing
Industrial development
Industrial policy
Industrialization
Political economy
Prospects
regional integration
Regionalism
Retail industry
Retailing
Southern African Development Community
Trade
Value chain
value chains
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Summary:Regional integration is making steady progress in Africa and a key objective is to improve the prospects for industrialisation by expanding the regional market. The paper draws on a combination of trade data analysis and industry case studies to better understand the links and synergies between regional value chains and regional integration. The trade data and case studies of two diverse sectors (garments and food retailing) demonstrate the expansion and diversity of regional trade and regional value chains in Ssouthern Africa. This increasingly diverse composition of regional exports is suggestive of an opportunity to further enhance industrial development through intra-regional trade. From a political economy perspective, the long term sustainability of Southern African regionalism will require that the benefits are widely spread. In turn this requires the recognition of the importance of regional industrial policy, which takes account of the dynamics driving global and regional value chains and facilitates regional linkages.
ISSN:0376-835X
1470-3637
DOI:10.1080/0376835X.2020.1834354