Regional integration and co-ordination are not a panacea but they could hold the key to African countries' long-awaited participation in the world economy. This was one of the conclusions of the second International Forum on African Perspectives, jointly organised by the African Development Bank and the OECD Development Centre in February 2001, at which OECD and African economists discussed the prospects for regional initiatives in Africa.

While many other factors need to be taken into consideration, regional approaches -- provided they are accompanied by domestic reforms -- can present an effective response to globalisation. Indeed, given the isolation of the African countries from the world economy, regional initiatives may be the only sustainable solution to the economic, political and social challenges raised by globalisation.