While the reaffirmation of integration principles remains a ritual exercise for the chancelleries of the sub-region, the transition from political intentions to the reality of economic exchanges continues to stumble upon structural rigidities. Central Africa remains one of the sub-sets of the continent where intracommunity trade shows the lowest rates, illustrating the gap between declarations of principle and the effective functioning of markets.

The issue of mobility of people, goods, and capital is hindered by persistent non-tariff barriers and often predominant security considerations. In a context where border harassment and the proliferation of checkpoints hinder the fluidity of corridors, the discourse on investment attractiveness is weakened. For a pivotal country like Cameroon, which is the main supply matrix for agricultural products and a first necessity for several of its neighbors, these dysfunctions represent a significant fiscal and commercial loss, while maintaining transportation costs at artificially high levels.

Beyond institutional advocacy, the true transformation of the CEEAC space requires concrete harmonization of customs policies and alignment of national regulations. The lack of adequate cross-border connection infrastructure and the lack of political will of some member states to rigorously apply community acts constitute the real brakes on the emergence of a unified market. Without a definitive lifting of regulatory obstacles and a concerted securing of transit axes, regional dynamization efforts risk remaining disconnected from the expectations of the sub-regional economic fabric.


The Editorial Team

Tags: intégration économique CEEAC afrique centrale libre circulation commerce intracommunautaire marchés investissements politiques douanières réglementations nationales développement régional