Regional Networking and Multilateral Context: Enhancing Capabilities in Africa

In times where multilateralism is to be the vector of free trade and the conveyor for liberalism, the phenomenon of regionalism has been increasing quiet steadily. Would it be a transitional step for their members towards multilateralism, or a manner to hide from it without being forgotten? Whatever the response may be to this question, regionalism has been "admitted" by the WTO in its article XXIV. The contradiction here is that regionalism is not always complying with WTO regulations such as including "substantially all trade" as well as "non discrimination" principle. The advantage of regional practices is its taking into account particularities and specifications of the member countries, what the WTO doesn't seem to consider. We argue that, as much the regional and multilateral levels are important for Africa and developing countries in general, a lot remains to be done, from the inside, to avoid being trapped in a process where control on the future of those countries would become impossible. In other words, enhancing capabilities and re-identifying resources to be able to master destiny.