STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE REGIONAL INTEGRATION IN AFRICA

The study discusses strategies of regional integration in Africa, taking into account economic, political, social, technological and security aspects. It uses a qualitative and historical-comparative approach to examines the development of African integration from the Pan-African ideals and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Case studies of ECOWAS, EAC and SADC provide realistic examples of successes in peacekeeping, governance, customs union implementation, trade facilitation and infrastructure collaboration. Findings reveal that despite great advances in Africa, integration is still hampered by political instability, infrastructure deficits, multiple REC memberships, weak treaty implementation and socio-cultural diversity. Successful integration will require a multi-dimensional strategy including strong institutions, economic convergence, social and cultural integration, technology innovation and security collaboration. The study proposes: priority to regional value chains; invest in infrastructure; build confidence, political commitment; and promote people-to-people contact.