Assessing the status of regional integration in Africa

Abstract

Regional economic communities continue to be the main building blocks of the African Union, as envisioned in the 1980 Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa (1980–2000) and the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty). The key objective of regional economic communities is to facilitate regional integration and cooperation through various activities and programs, which has culminated in the establishment of the African Economic Community. Africa, in general, has registered remarkable progress in various dimensions and aspects of regional integration. Arguably, the historic signing of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area at Kigali in 2018 was the greatest achievement in the integration efforts of the continent in recent years. Despite the establishment of the Free Trade Area, however, a number of impediments to regional integration continue to linger, including an infrastructure deficit, low levels of macroeconomic convergence and continued threats to peace and security. The present document contains an assessment of the current trends in regional integration in Africa, with a particular focus on progress in the areas of macroeconomic convergence; trade, investment and market integration; free movement of persons; infrastructure, including for landlocked countries within the framework of the Vienna declaration and program of action; governance, peace and security; and mining.