Policy Brief

Regionalism and Polycrisis - How to Promote Regional Integration in the Face of Global Fragmentation

Publication Date
27 May 2025
Authors
Prabir De Babátúndé Fágbàyíbọ́ Gaëlle Le Pavic Frank Mattheis José Joel Peña Llanes Sineeat Sermcheep
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Global polycrisis makes regionalism vital for resilience and cooperation, but integration varies due to historical, institutional, and geopolitical factors. 

 

Regionalism’s dynamics depend on: competition (external/internal pressures), coordination (policy alignment), and competence (empowering regional institutions for cross-border challenges). 

 

Regions like Africa, Europe, Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia face unique integration challenges: geopolitical rivalries, internal fragmentation, governance issues, and institutional capacity gaps. 

 

Common challenges across regions include balancing national sovereignty with regional authority, economic disparities, and the impact of global power competition. 

 

To bolster regional integration, key recommendations include fostering greater political will, leveraging global challenges like climate change for cooperation, enhancing connectivity, adopting holistic approaches beyond just market integration, and streamlining institutional frameworks while promoting diverse, non-Eurocentric models.

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