Leaders vow to make Africa a region of competitiveness and increased well-being

"Strong institutions and the management of skills and talents should be at the core of the integration agenda. Political leaders should double their efforts to make sure Africa becomes a tightly integrated growth pole," the AfDB Chief Economist said.

AfDB and Regional Integration

• Regional integration key to the development of South Sudan
• Implementation of agreed policies will result in deeper market and trade integration
• Integration represents significant opportunities for landlocked and small island countries of southern Africa

African Economic Outlook 2013

Natural Resources Can Fuel Africa’s Economic Transformation

“Now is the time”, said Mthuli Ncube, CE and VP of the AfDB, “After ten years of improved stability, sound macroeconomic policies and blossoming trade links, growth has made African nations freer than ever to choose their own development paths and implement active policies for economic transformation.”

Development Effectiveness Review - Promoting Regional Integration

Regional integration has been at the heart of Africa’s political agenda for many years. Given the continent’s low population density, wide geographic spread and low levels of urbanization, Africa’s leaders have recognized integration as critical to building economies of scale and making the continent internationally competitive. The impact of globalization on Africa over the past decade has only intensified its importance.