•  The key weakness of the African integration process when compared with the European experience, is the lack of "natural", market-driven increase in economic integration. In Europe, trade interdependence increased rapidly following the Second World War and this trend has remained intact. However, in case of Africa, the level of intraregional trade remains low, even when taking into account the informal trade flows.
The role of monetary integration has been of decisive importance in the European context. It has yielded significant benefits for the region and is an area in which integration has become most securely entrenched. The launch of the euro triggered many changes in the financial markets and we are still far away from realizing the full benefits of financial sector integration.