Kurbanov R.A. The African integration: historical aspects

Abstract: This article reviews the processes of the regional integration in the African continent and explores the political-legal foundations of the African integrational processes, history of their emergence, factors affecting the development and stagnation of the integrational processes. The impact of the colonial past upon the consolidation of the integrational processes is being analyzed. The author also examines the political prerequisites and the influence of the decolonization upon the integrational processes. This research illustrates the examples of separate integrational formations that have played or continue to play a significant role in the integration of the African state; the impact of geopolitical factors is also being reviewed. The article presents the analysis of the integrational processes in the African continent from the historical perspective; a comparative analysis of the regional coalitions within the continent demonstrated significant differences in the level and intensity of regionalization. It is noted that the history of regional formations in Africa has achieved certain results, however the extremely low level of economy of the majority of the African nations and a constant political crises within the countries do not comprise favorable circumstances for achieving considerable results in the process of the regional integration.

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