Regional African Integration vs State Sovereignty.
I am speaking from an African perspective and as thoroughbred advocate for regional integration. I am not foreign sponsored and inspired but I am guided by the Africa we want Agenda 2063 which the AU Heads of States and Government committed themselves to. I am an Africa and believes in African solution to African challenges and buttress the African home grown initiatives with no regrets or fear for failure.
There is not going to be regional integration later along Africa integration if Africa states have to voluntarily loose some state sovereignty.
Brexit is test case of how hard it is surrendering of sovereignty. EU would determine the strategic decision which British Parliament will have to agree to if they had remain fully as a member and subscribing to the EU unionism and social, political and economic development integration. It will mean, border control and movements of people between Britain main island and the Continent will be multi-management at different international entrants gates. The British as much as they want dominance and supremacy they would not have liked to cede their sovereignty to French Germans et.
Regional integrations means one currency one border control one custom union one supreme legislation. Zimbabwe instead of using South African or Botswanan currency decided to use USD and the President is an advocate for regional integration. Evidence fact that most African nationalists as former residents of colonial regime still think their former masters are supreme. Imagine Africa having international screening ports which will automatically allow the visitor or traveller automatic access to any African country, as if its a domestic traveller? Imagine a Nigerian freely coming into South Africa and freely going back or travel to Botswana without a passport but an national ID in such situations and attitudes towards "foreigners".
Zimbabwean authorities at international Airport screening and giving a free entrants or permits to any person into any African state including Kenya, Nigeria, Togo etc. Imagine Malian or Senegalese screening international visitors for the permit into any African country including Zimbabwe. Does Zimbabwe government trust any country to border control for Zimbabwe? Does South Africa with its "our country and makwerekwere" notion able to entrust border control without asking for bribe to allow you in to an other African country. Will the South African home affairs department free allow Makwerekwere free access from any country as they want to protect their industry and economic cake? This morning, the ITC Minister of Zimbabwe Supa Mandiwanzira proposed the protection of local mobile phones companies from stiff competition from MTN etc, is that regional integration.
It is about time Africans agree that national borders or boundaries were and are artificial creation of former colonialist in dividing their power and authority on colonized land. We are one and its Africa that we want to be. The former colonialist countries will not want to see say Gambia or Senegal being part to the African system and they loosing control and influence over their former colonies. USA, and most of the European countries will be at pains to see themselves loosing influence and control on some of the natural resources rich countries and beauties of Cape Town (the retirement home for USA celebrities). The annex created colonies in the name of partnership and government to government arrangements affects true regional integration.
We need our national leaders and government ministers to understand that the former colonial masters are not standard of development, and should desist from taking money to Europe or USA for safe keeping just like their former colonial masters used to do. The current leadership stil have issues and high regards to western life style and rulership of their former colonialists. This is why each time an disagreement with their views they think you are foreign sponsored because they were foreign aided to wage a military revolution. Unless and until they change and transform from their former colonialist mentality and formats Africa can not integrate.