“The aim of this paper is to determine if macroeconomic policy convergence among
member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is required
for establishing and sustaining a free trade area (FTA). The paper also investigates whether a restraining mechanism is required in order to compel member countries to have
compatible macroeconomic policies. The history of regional free trade areas in Sub-Saharan Africa is that most of them have
either failed, or have stayed in existence on paper with very little actual progress towards their objectives. In light of the limited success of regional free trade areas, why do African countries keep trying to establish regional free trade areas?”
