Africa's Quest for Deeper Integration: Policy Options for the Future of Regional Integration in Africa - Paperback

by Joseph Atta-Mensah (Author)

Africa's quest for unity has been one of the continent's most enduring ambitions. From the early visions of Pan-Africanism to today's African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area, regional integration has been repeatedly advanced as a pathway to development, resilience, and global relevance. Yet progress has been uneven, and the promise of integration has often remained only partially fulfilled.

In Africa's Quest for Deeper Integration, Joseph Atta-Mensah offers a comprehensive and reflective examination of Africa's integration agenda as a development strategy. Drawing on decades of experience in economic policymaking and regional institutions, the book traces the evolution of integration efforts across trade, infrastructure, finance, macroeconomic coordination, and institutional cooperation. It goes beyond aspiration to ask hard questions about implementation, political economy, capacity constraints, and the gap between commitments and outcomes.

The book situates regional and continental integration within Africa's broader development challenges, including industrialisation, job creation, vulnerability to external shocks, and the need for greater economic sovereignty. It highlights both achievements and shortcomings, and identifies the conditions under which integration can deliver tangible benefits for African economies and citizens.