Impact of Regional Integration on Poverty Reduction in Africa

This Article explores and analyzes the widespread poverty situation on the African continent and the extent to which poverty should be remedied by member states in the African Union (AU) as a regional body. It finds out whether regional integration helps the African States and Governments to reduce poverty and how regional integration could be used to reduce or eradicate the multidimensional poverty on the continent within the framework of international cooperation and regional integration. It also reviews the progress Africa has made in terms of advancing towards the achievement of the goals in Agenda 2063 so far and the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The qualitative research method was used in conducting this research. Particularly, the exploratory, explanatory, descriptive and historical methods are employed in this essay because it delves into the key objectives of forming the AU that was originally the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU). The main objective was to achieve sustainable development on the continent. The research recommends that African states need to invest in the vulnerable populations on the continent to ensure peace and stability. This would in turn pave the way for economic growth and eventually culminate to sustainable development on the continent.