Paje Ir WR
Paje Ir WR
Paje Ir WR
Bhea R. Paje
AB POLSCI 2A
Objectives:
Executive Summary
Regionalism has become a significant aspect of international affairs, with 287 regional trade
agreements. It challenges the conventional dominant role of nations in global affairs and encompasses
collaboration and unification. In this chapter we will look on how regional cooperations work on
different continents. This poses a fundamental reconsideration of the customary central status of states
in the sphere of international relations and is characterized by concerted efforts and harmonious
integration. In Africa, modern regionalism emerged from anti-colonial policies and existing colonial
arrangements. In Eurasia, regional agreements are driven by the efforts of the former federal republics
to create an area of cooperation and influence between Russia, China and the
EU. Regional agreements were concluded in connection with the economic and political competition
between Russia and the EU, especially in the and; divided neighborhood.
international affairs. According to the World The word ‘region’ and its derivatives denote
Trade Organization (WTO), 287 regional trade one distinguishable part of some larger
agreements were in force as of 1 May 2018 geographical area. Yet these terms are used in
(WTO 2018b). Regional peacekeeping forces different ways. On the one hand, regions are
have become active in multiple parts of the territories within a state, occasionally crossing
world. In the last several decades regionalism state borders. On the other, regions are
has become one of the forces challenging the particular areas of the world, comprising a
traditional centrality of states in international number of different sovereign states. The
relations. issues that both usages raise for international
relations have some elements in common.
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The term regionalization is often used to refer While the distinction between cooperation and
to ‘the growth of societal integration within a integration does involve some clear and
region and . . . the often undirected processes fundamental choices, it should be treated with
of social and economic interaction’ (Hurrell caution. Cooperation and integration are not
1995: 39). mutually exclusive general approaches for
23.1) Forms of regional cooperation regional governance, but rather options that
may be pursued for different sectors and
Functional cooperation refers to limited
dimensions of regional relations. All regional
arrangements that are agreed among states in
systems, including the EU today, contain a
order to work together in particular areas, for
mixture of both cooperation and integration.
example in transport, energy, or health.
23.3) Dynamics of Regionalism
Economic cooperation refers to agreements
that foresee some degree of commercial Management of independence is the settling
domestic rules nor any obligation for common relations among themselves, with the former
and commitment regarding the implementation regional mechanisms to guarantee peace and
and consult each other, try to adopt common regional negotiations in the multilateral
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Pan-American Union in 1948, and the Inter- Contemporary regionalism in Africa emerged
American System faced distrust during the from anti-colonialism politics and pre-existing
Cold War. However, US policy changed in the colonial arrangements. French West Africa
1980s, leading to negotiations for a free trade was a federation from 1904 to 1958, with the
agreement between the US, Canada, and CFA franc as a common currency. Benin,
Mexico in 1986 and 1994, resulting in the Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau,
North American Free Trade Agreement Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo are members
(NAFTA). NAFTA was replaced by the of the West African Economic and Monetary
USMCA in 2018 due to US policy changes Union (WAEMU). In Central Africa, a
under Trump. The first 'Summit of the monetary union and customs union were
Americas' in 1994 aimed to achieve a Free created in 1964, transformed into the
Trade Area of the Americas and deepen Economic and Monetary Community of
cooperation on drugs, corruption, terrorism, Central Africa (CEMAC) in 1999. The
and sustainable development. Southern African Customs Union (SACU) was
established in 1910 and has a common
Latin American regionalism in the post-war external tariff, revenue-sharing mechanism,
decades was influenced by state-led, import- and a Common Monetary Area.
substituting industrialization, leading to
regional integration and the creation of the Colonial Kenya and Uganda formed a customs
Central American Common Market, the Latin union in 1917, which Tanzania joined in 1927.
American Free Trade Association, and the After independence, cooperation continued
Andean Pact. A second wave of regional under the East African Common Services
integration began in the 1980s and 1990s, with Organization. An East African Community
the Central American Integration System and was created in 1967, but it collapsed in 1977
the Common Market of the South due to political differences. The present East
(MERCOSUR) aiming to consolidate African Community (EAC) was established in
hemispheric and Latin American initiatives. 2000, with a customs union formally in effect
in 2005 and a Common Market Protocol in
However, developments in the 2000s made 2010.
this prospect doubtful, with the creation of the
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) Some regional organizations had particular
in 2008 and Venezuela's suspension of political aspects to their founding, such as the
MERCOSUR membership in 2017. Renewed Southern African Development Coordination
moves towards broader and deeper Latin Conference (SADCC) in 1980 to reduce
American integration were driven less by dependence on apartheid South Africa. Sub-
political radicalism and more by common regional cultural identity played a particular
reaction against Trump's protectionism.
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Asian regionalism is evolving on two planes: To the east, these regional organizations must
ASEAN is moving towards institutional be understood against the background of
deepening to preserve its position, while rivalries between Russia and China, as well as
regional agreements reflect rivalries among partially shared concerns between those two
major powers. Competition between China and powers regarding the role of the US. The
Japan initially shaped discussion of regional Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
agreements, with China proposing an East was created by China, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Asia Free Trade Agreement based on 'ASEAN Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in 1996, which was
+ 3' and Japan preferring a Comprehensive transformed into the Shanghai Cooperation
Economic Partnership in East Asia based on Organization (SCO) in 2002. India and
'ASEAN + 6'. Negotiations for a Regional Pakistan became full members in 2017, while
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Iran and Mongolia are observers.
began in 2012 between ASEAN and its FTA
partners, with the US leading a new trans-
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In late 2013, China unveiled its Belt and Road reintroduction of national border controls and
Initiative, promoting China's regional suspension of key parts of the European
leadership to its west. Discussion of links asylum regime. The confluence of these crises
between this initiative and the EAEU began in has led to some observers discussing the
2014, leading to President Putin's call for a prospect of regional disintegration in Europe.
'Greater Eurasian Partnership' among the
EAEU, China, India, and other countries. The European Union (EU) has faced several
crises since the mid-2010s, including the 2015
To the west, sub-regional agreements have refugee crisis, tensions between the UK and
occurred in the context of economic and the EU, and threats to liberal values. The EU
political competition between Russia and the was unprepared for the sudden increase in
EU, particularly in the 'shared neighbourhood', refugees, leading to the reintroduction of
which includes six countries that were once national border controls and suspension of key
part of the former Soviet Union. Tensions parts of the European asylum regime. In 2016,
came to a head in Ukraine in 2013, where the a UK referendum resulted in a majority vote in
EU offered Ukraine an Association favor of leaving the EU, causing wide-ranging
Agreement, including a Deep and political and economic implications. The need
Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). for consensus in the Council has hindered
decisive responses. Despite these crises, the
The process of European integration EU has survived and shown remarkable unity
The European Union (EU) has evolved from a of purpose in the context of Brexit, Russia's
West European creation in the 1950s to an annexation of Crimea, and the threat of a trade
important political and economic actor with war with the US.
actors on different territorial levels: phenomenon. It is not the case that the entire
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REFERENCES
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