Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Law, 2017 / This thesis attempts to identify the rationale for migration rights within the EAC (East African Community) in relation to the Community's political objectives.The main argument propounded is that migration rights, though they have developed from a purely economic rationale and perspective, have since morphed into an entorely novel regime which emphases the human or fundamental rights of citizens of the Community. [Abbreviated abstract. Taken from print version of thesis] / GR2018

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the Degree of Master of Commerce (Economics/Economic Science) in the School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2018 / World trade has become a significant factor in improving standards of living, creating employment, improving countries’ balance of payments and making it possible for consumers to have a wide variety of goods and services to choose from (Vijayasri, 2013). Living examples of some of the benefits of world trade are those brought by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction]. / XL2019

The landmark inauguration of the East African Cooperation (EAC) on 14 March 1996 brought to the fore some key issues regarding regional economic integration in East Africa, particularly since it signalled the second attempt by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to form a regional economic bloc. The EAC's predecessor, the East African Community, had collapsed in 1977 in acrimonious circumstances. Prominent among the issues that led to the collapse of the East African Community was the perception of unequal gains from the integration scheme, with Uganda and Tanzania considering that disproportionate benefits were accruing to Kenya at their expense. With the new initiative, the question emerges as to whether the problems that caused the collapse of the Community will not beset the EAC and subject it to a similar fate. In an attempt to address this question, this study considers some of the theoretical issues relating to regional economic integration among countries at different levels of development, and attempts to provide an analysis of the new initiative of the EAC in the light of this theory and the history of the East African Community. The study also critically examines the objectives of the EAC and the integration strategy adopted by the three countries, and offers suggestions on the way forward. Among the arguments made in this thesis are that, contrary to the suggestions of orthodox static analysis, if the dynamic effects of integration are considered, then there may be important gains which may accrue to integrating states in the developing country context. It is also argued that different levels of development among integrating states need not necessarily be an impediment to economic integration. The study finds that, in spite of the enormous challenges facing the EAC, member states may be better off within the integration scheme than if they acted as individual units in a rapidly globalizing international system.

M.Com. (Economics) / The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of economic integration on trade growth in the East African Community (EAC). The EAC created in June 2001, is the regional umbrella organisation overseeing a pan-nation, an inter-governmental trade bloc for the Republics of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The objectives of the organisation are to create an environment where free movement of people, goods and labour can occur, spurring economic growth and well-being of the region’s citizens. The concept of economic integration emerged post the Second World War (WWII), as an avenue for creating a protected large free-trade area in which gradually capital movements could be liberalised. It has been adopted in different regions with varying degrees of success. It is in this context that the EAC was examined. The study uses two models to analyse the impact of economic integration on trade growth; the institutional integration index and the augmented gravity model. The first model is important in the analysis of economic integration in that it provides evidence of the impact that deeper and wider integration has on trade growth. The second model, the augmented gravity model is an “augmentation” of the traditional gravity model with additional variables that cater for the effects of the second, third and fourth stages of integration. The study applies panel data analysis on a 10 year data set and empirically assesses the impact of economic integration on trade growth. Based on the results of the two models, it is found that economic integration does lead to trade growth, however because the EAC has only attained the first stage of integration i.e. Customs union and is currently pursuing the second stage i.e. Common markets, factors that come into play in the latter stages of integration i.e. monetary union and political federation, have no significant impact on trade.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The three East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have a long history of economic co-operation, which at one time amounted close to political integration. Their present co-operation arrangement is known as the East African Community (the new East African Community), but is one that remains susceptible to failure if conscious and purposeful steps are not timely adopted to facilitate their integration. A number of reasons have been attributed to the failure and eventual demise of the old East African Community. These reasons include, the unequal distribution of gains and costs amongst the partner states, perceptions and impressions on reaching conclusions about the distribution of those gains and costs, the heavy internal and external debt burdens that the three countries experienced in different degrees, differing political ideologies amongst the political leaderships of the three countries, unwillingness to cede government authority to the Community, and the absence of sufficient possibilities for cost reduction shifts in the industrial sector amongst the three countries. The above meant that there was little chance for potential economies of scale. While the recognition of the value of past experiences forms an important aspect of a future strategy for the Community, prevailing and anticipated circumstances are more relevant. This study project seeks to establish the chances for the success or failure of the new East African Community by means of an analysis of the historical passage of East African co-operation, in particular the former official arrangement of 1967-1977 and scrutiny of the system underlying the present arrangement. The differences and similarities of the two systems are then extrapolated and the likely effects that those differences and similarities will impart upon the new East African Community are investigated. Finally, the ways and means identified as a possible easing of the shortcomings are advanced as recommendations. One outstanding development in the existence of the new East African Community so far has been the pursuance to establish an East African Federation in the shortest possible timeframe. In the new East African Community's formative treaty the objective of achieving a political federation is declared to be the ultimate objective. It would appear that the concept of "shortest possible time" was partly interpreted by those mandated to explore the possibilities as relating to the timeframe during which the existing political leadership would still be functioning. The study has, however, concluded that the fast tracking of the political federation is one of the possible serious threats to the sustainability and longevity of the new East African Community. Likewise, membership of other regional integration arrangements by the partner states of the Community - without a concrete formally agreed common mechanism to deal with the ensuing conflicts of interest - is considered to be a weakness. The study recommends a number of preconditions necessary for the smooth transition to a political federation that would not compromise the positive prospects of the Community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die drie Oos-Afrikalande Kenia, Tanzanië en Uganda het 'n lang geskiedenis van ekonomiese samewerking wat op 'n stadium feitlik op politieke integrasie neergekom het. Hulle huidige integrasiereëling staan as die Oos- Afrikagemeenskap (die Gemeenskap) bekend, maar dit bly vatbaar vir mislukking indien bewuste en doelgerigte stappe nie betyds gedoen word om hulle integrasie te bevorder nie. 'n Aantal redes is aangevoer vir die mislukking en uiteindelike verval van die ou Oos-Afrikagemeenskap. Hierdie redes sluit onder andere in die oneweredige verspreiding van winste en kostes tussen die vennootskapslande, persepsies en indrukke oor besluite rakende die verdeling van genoemde winste en kostes, die kwaai binne- en buitelandse skuldlaste wat die drie lande in wisselende mate ervaar het, verskillende politieke ideologieë tussen die politieke leierskappe van die drie lande, 'n onwilligheid om regeringsgesag na die Gemeenskap oor te dra en die afwesigheid van genoegsame moontlikhede vir kosteverminderingstappe in d ie nywerheidsektor tussen die drie lande. Die bovermelde het beteken dat daar min geleentheid vir potensiële groot ekonomieë was. Alhoewel die erkenning van die waarde van ervarings uit die verlede 'n belangrike aspek van 'n toekomstige strategie vir die Gemeenskap uitmaak, is heersende en verwagte omstandighede meer relevant. Hierdie studieprojek poog om by wyse van 'n analise van die historiese verloop van samewerking in Oos- Afrika en in die besonder van die vorige amptelike reëling tussen 1967 tot 1977 en 'n ondersoek van die stelsel wat die huidige reëling onderlê, vas te stel wat die kanse is op die sukses of mislukking van die nuwe Oos-Afrikagemeenskap. Die verskille en ooreenkomste tussen die twee stelsels word dan geëkstrapoleer en die verwagte gevolge wat daardie verskille en ooreenkomste op die nuwe Oos-Afrikagemeenskap gaan uitoefen, word ondersoek. Laastens word die middele wat geïdentifiseer is as 'n moontlike verligting van die tekortkominge, as aanbevelings voorgehou. Een van die opvallende ontwikkelings in die nuwe Oos-Afrikagemeenskap is die nastrewing van die doel om 'n Oos-Afrikafederasie binne die kortste moontlike tyd tot stand te bring. In die Gemeenskap se stigtingsooreenkoms is gekonstateer dat die uiteindelike doelwit die bereiking van 'n politieke federasie is. Dit wil voorkom asof die konsep "die kortste moontlike tyd" gedeeltelik só geïnterpreteer is dat dit na die tydsraamwerk verwys waartydens die huidige politieke leierskap steeds die leisels sou hou. Die studie het egter tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die vinnige pas vir die totstandkoming van die politieke federasie een van die moontlike ernstige bedreigings vir die volhoubaarheid en langdurige voortbestaan van die nuwe Oos-Afrikagemeenskap is. Op soortgelyke wyse word lidstate van die Gemeenskap se lidmaatskap van ander streeksreëlings - sonder die bestaan van 'n konkrete formeelooreengekome gesamentlike meganisme om aandag te skenk aan voortspruitende belangekonflikte - as 'n swakheid beskou. Die studie beveel 'n aantal voorwaardes aan wat noodsaaklik is vir die gladde oorgang na 'n politieke federasie wat nie die positiewe vooruitsigte van die Gemeenskap in die gedrang sal bring nie.