Abstract
M.Com. (Economics)
This dissertation examines the level of trade between African states in general and West
African states in particular. After discussing the background history of the continent and
setting out the purpose and nature of the study in Chapter 1, the dissertation examined
various international trade theories in Chapter 2. Economic and other arguments for and
against free trade or more protection, as well as forms and examples of economic
integration and co-operation are discussed in Chapter 3. There are very strong
arguments in favour of free trade since both developed and developing countries
undeniably benefit from trade, and specially from free trade. In Chapter 4, the
performance of Africa in world trade and trade between various countries of the
continent was examined. The formation of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS, the review of the economy of the ECOWAS region and the review of
economies of some member states, were set out in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 examines intra-ECOWAS
trade and assesses the successes and failures of the Community. Finally
Chapter 7 contains a summary of the findings of the study.
The dissertation draws some tentative conclusions based on the findings on intra-African
trade in general, and intra-ECOWAS trade in particular. It seems that most African
countries do not realise that it is necessary to unite in order to break away from the
vicious circle of poverty in which they find themselves. The leaders of Africa today,
unlike the leaders of the 1960s and early 1970s, fail to recognize the economic
importance of the unity of the continent. It was a vision of the final economic
emancipation of the African continent that led the earlier leaders to promote the idea of
a continental unity ...