Browsing by Author "Muluken Tariku"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    The Role of Infrastructural Connectivity for Boosting Economic Integration in the Horn of Africa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-06-01) Muluken Tariku; Zelalem Tesfay (PhD)
    This research investigates the roles of infrastructural connectivity in boosting regional integration in the Horn of Africa – a sub-region known for fragile economy, political instability and less viable connectivity. The multifaceted challenges and opportunities observed in the region call for fostering regional integration. Existing studies have investigated the challenges and prospects of regional integration in the Horn of Africa. Nevertheless, there is a gap in the literature as the role of infrastructure connectivity in boosting regional integration is less covered aspect. As such, fresh data that depicts the status of existing infrastructure connectivity along with the implications on regional integrations is a missing link in the thematic area. The study aims to answer, among others, what the status of the current connectivity in the sub-region is; how different factors are affecting regional integration efforts; as well as what types of challenges and opportunities can be identified behind regional integration schemes. The study employed qualitative research approach by gathering up-to-date data from primary and secondary sources. The study demonstrated that the status of cross-border infrastructure in the HoA is characterized by uneven development and critical missing link. Further, the study indicated the main roles of infrastructure connectivity, namely transportation, energy and digital linkage, in enhancing regional integration in the sub-region. The study identified financial bottlenecks, structural problems, political instability as well as reluctant policy harmonization efforts as main challenges that hindered regional integration effort. The study called for further researches on the topic by identifying the social, economic and political challenges of connectivity in the region by assessing the challenges, which each member states in the region face in their intra-regional infrastructure connectivity. Key words: Regional Integration, Infrastructure Connectivity, Horn of Africa, Challenges and Opportunities