The Role of the Pan African Parliament in African Regionalism:: Institutional Perspectives and Lessons for Africa

This book critically analyses the definitive role of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in African regionalism. Judging by the push of the Pan African Parliament to acquire legislative powers since 2009, this book is timely as it's findings present valuable lessons for African institutions of regionalism. The study reflects on grand and middle- range theoretical standpoints in its examination of the role of regional institutions. It examines the contradictions in the struggle between the question of sovereignty and the phenomenon of spillover which pushes supranationality. By assessing institutional arrangements in the PAP, it probes the rationale for the establishment of a regional African Parliament and shows that while it can be said that PAP emerged out of its ?appropriateness' to the vision of African Unity, its institutional arrangement as shown in its grand and micro policy instruments, indicates a reluctance by its designers to assign it powers to facilitate its growth. The book makes recommendations pointing to lessons for growing African regional institutions going forward.