<P> Some claim the desire for closer integration is usually related to a larger desire for opening nation states to the outside world, or that regional economic cooperation is pursued as a means of promoting development through greater efficiency, rather than as a means of disadvantaging others . It is also claimed that the members of these arrangements hope that they will succeed as building blocks for progress with a growing range of partners and towards a generally freer and open global environment for trade and investment and that integration is not an end in itself, but a process to support economic growth strategies, greater social equality and democratisation . However, regional integration strategies as pursued by economic and national interests, particularly in the last 30 years, have also been highly contested across civil society . There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the strategies of economic deregulation or increased investor protection implemented as forms of regional integration have succeeded in contributing to "progress" in sustainable economic growth, as the number of economic crises around the world have increased in frequency and intensity over the past decades . Also, there is increasing evidence that the forms of regional integration employed by nation states have actually worsened social inequality and diminished democratic accountability . As a result of the persisting contradiction between the old promises of regional integration and real world experience, the demand from across global civil society for alternative forms of regional integration has grown. (2) </P> <P> Regional integration arrangements are a part and parcel of the present global economic order and this trend is now an acknowledged future of the international scene . It has achieved a new meaning and new significance . Regional integration arrangements are mainly the outcome of necessity felt by nation - states to integrate their economies in order to achieve rapid economic development, decrease conflict, and build mutual trusts between the integrated units . The nation - state system, which has been the predominant pattern of international relations since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 is evolving towards a system in which regional groupings of states is becoming increasingly important vis - a-vis sovereign states . Some have argued that the idea of the state and its sovereignty has been made irrelevant by processes that are taking place at both the global and local level . Walter Lippmann believes that, "the true constituent members of the international order of the future are communities of states ." E.H. Carr shares Lippmann view about the rise of regionalism and regional arrangements and commented that, "the concept of sovereignty is likely to become in the future even more blurred and indistinct than it is at present ." </P> <P> Regional integration agreements (RIAs) have led to major developments in international relations between and among many countries, specifically increases in international trade and investment and in the formation of regional trading blocs . As fundamental to the multi-faceted process of globalization, regional integration has been a major development in the international relations of recent years . As such, Regional Integration Agreements has gained high importance . Not only are almost all the industrial nations part of such agreements, but also a huge number of developing nations too are a part of at least one, and in cases, more than one such agreement . </P> <P> The amount of trade that takes place within the scope of such agreements is about 35%, which accounts to more than one - third of the trade in the world . The main objective of these agreements is to reduce trade barriers among those nations concerned, but the structure may vary from one agreement to another . The removal of the trade barriers or liberalization of many economies has had multiple impacts, in some cases increasing Gross domestic product (GDP), but also resulting in greater global inequality, concentration of wealth and an increasing frequency and intensity of economic crises . </P>

What effect did increased trade have upon many countries