Abstract:
This paper sought to investigate the dimensions of the
changing faces of East African regional economic cooperations
whether it is moved by political or economic expediency. Whereas
one would think that economic cooperations are solely economics at
play, the politics of states would imply that economic cooperations
among states is a political venture hence behind the shadows of such
cooperations is proper politics, this leads into thinking of the thin
lines that exist between politics and economics. Which would be the
best drive, economic or political expediency? By looking at what has
taken place elsewhere, this discourse by finding out the changing
faces of East African region overtime, also examined this key issue:
political and economic expediency, and finally sought to assess the
likely impact of both in the enhancement of the regional economic
cooperations. After the discussions of the objectives in relation to
what other scholars have written, the authors came up with a
conclusion on this paper which has adopted a qualitative approach to
suggest that; one, at independence East African regional
cooperations were shaped by both economic and political interests of
the then colonial masters even into the designs; two, these
cooperations have much been affected by politics because their
existence is first and foremost realists’ endeavours; and finally, as
neo-liberalism sweeps across the globe, the changing political
patterns of interests and state’s redefinitions within the International
system make the changing faces inevitable amidst immeasurable
conflicts.
