An integrated East Africa:
a resilience perspective (In English)

Nikolskaya M.V.,

Institute of International Studies (IfIS), MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, nikolskaya.m.v@my.mgimo.ru

elibrary_id: 1104213 | ORCID: 0000-0002-3160-112X | RESEARCHER_ID: HHZ-2412-2022

Nikulin M.A.,

RUDN University, Moscow, Russia, nikulin-ma@rudn.ru

elibrary_id: 966638 | ORCID: 0000-0002-0971-0987 | RESEARCHER_ID: JIA-8436-2023

Ralafiarindaza M.N.,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar, rl.noary@gmail.com

Article received: 2023.12.06 13:01. Accepted: 2024.04.22 13:01

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2024.04.06
EDN: BHCLJX

Rubric: Orbis terrarum

For citation:

Nikolskaya M.V., Nikulin M.A., Ralafiarindaza M.N. An integrated East Africa: a resilience perspective (In English). – Polis. Political Studies. 2024. No. 4. P. 71-88. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2024.04.06. EDN: BHCLJX

Abstract

In the 21st century of profound shifts and abrupt plot twists on a global scale, the future of the international system remains unclear. What is obvious by now, though, is that against this backdrop, African states are increasingly looking for ways to defend their own interests and positions. Hence their focus on regional integration, as countries recognize the benefits of pooling their resources and working together to address common challenges with the ultimate aim of fulfilling the African Union’s vision of: “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”(Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want). The evolution of regional groups like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC) is an example of this trend. In addition to shared objectives, these various African blocs also face common challenges and crises. This article focuses particularly on the case of the EAC, and its resilience capacity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the impact of the ongoing DRC-Rwanda standoff. The article is divided into three parts: the theoretical framework of crisis resilience is described in the first section, the background and ascent of the East African Community with a focus on its resilience capacities are analyzed in the second section. The third section of the article focuses on the covariate shocks facing the EAC in 2020-2023 and its response.

Keywords

East Africa, East African Community, crisis, resilience, regional integration, DRC conflict, COVID-19.

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