The East African Community (Routledge Contemporary Africa)

This book brings together African and European experts from a variety of disciplines to examine the origins and current state of the East African Community (EAC). Over the course of the book, the authors analyse the rich tapestry of intraregional relations in East Africa, the EAC’s similarities with the European Union and the future challenges faced by the organisation.

Widely regarded as the most advanced and successful regional integration scheme in Africa, the EAC is an intergovernmental organisation consisting of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda and, since 2016, South Sudan. It is the oldest among Africa’s regional economic communities, and among the continent’s most promising growth areas, with a long history of integration, punctuated by several false starts and traumas that have profoundly affected its body politics. When initially set up, the EAC model bore a striking resemblance to the process undergone by the European Union. Now, as the EAC continues to establish its own identity, this book argues that whilst Europe’s history may provide useful insights for EAC member states, the EAC experience could in turn also offer lessons for the European Union.

Covering key dimensions such as integration, co-operation, development, trade and investments, this book highlights the intricate and complex relationships between East African states, and it will be of interest to researchers working on economic development, international relations, peace and security and African studies.

Jean-Marc Trouille is Jean Monnet Professor in European Economic Integration at the University of Bradford, UK, and the Principal Investigator of the EU Commission’s Jean Monnet Network ‘The European Union, Africa and China in the Global Age’ (EU-EAC).

Helen Trouille is Senior Lecturer in Law at York St John University, UK, a Solicitor and Court interpreter. She is an associate partner of the EU–EAC Jean Monnet Network.

Penine Uwimbabazi is Professor of Policy Analysis and Conflict Transformation and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics at the Protestant Institute of Arts and Social Sciences in Huye, Rwanda. She is the representative of the EU–EAC Jean Monnet Network in Rwanda.