Regional Paper

.1 INTRODUCTION

I.2 POLITICS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION

Multiple Membership of Regional Integration Arrangements

Overlapping Mandates but Different Approaches to Regional Integration

Multiple Membership Seems to be Inefficient and Costly

Trade and/or Development Agreements within the International Context make for a Fluid Operating Environment in Southern Africa

Implications for the Bank

I.3 THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION

I.4 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

A Relatively Small Sub-Regional Market but Size More than 50% of SSA's GDP

Wide Disparities in Socio Economic Development among Countries within the Sub-Region Associated with Small and Weak Markets

Vast Differences in Population Size and Dispersion

Uneven Levels of Income across and within Countries

Low Levels of Human Development: A Structural Economic Weakness, Compounded by HIV/AIDS

Insufficient and/or Inefficient Infrastructure: An Obstacle to Production and Trade Development in General, Especially for Landlocked Areas

Uneven Development of Financial Systems

Uneven Economic Size, Undiversifie d Production Structures and Commodity Dependence

I.5 ECONOMIC REFORMS AND OUTCOMES

Economic Reforms

Macroeconomic Reforms

Changes in Investment Regimes

Trade Reforms

Economic Outcomes