Regional Integration and Democracy in Africa

Abstract

In the absence of sound Democracy, the realisation of Regional Integration in Africa will just be a cosmetic. To meet/address Democratic Governance challenges such as accountability, transparency, respect for human rights, competition, efficient and economical uses of resources and maximum output, constitutionalism must central in all African Countries without which Regional Integration will just be an illusion. No one country can do it all by itself as no one is an island and this makes Regional Integration very crucial for the rapid development of African Countries and Africa as whole in order to achieve the human development of Mama Africa. There is a need to institute and implement sound policies, laws and strong institutions for realising democratic norms and values to facilitate the Regional Integration process of the African Continent. Africa must integrate within itself first before thinking beyond the borders. Without African countries integrating meaningfully among themselves all other integration schemes may not be sustainable in addressing African Problems.