REFORMS AS THE PATHWAY TO INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

The essence of this paper is to interrogate reforms as a potent element in African integration drive. It x-rays Africa's integration experiences and the efforts of African states to initiate reforms for integration at the regional level. While the study employed a historical narrative approach for data collection, it utilizes primary sources mainly archival materials obtained from the Council of Europe archives and secondary sources such as books, journal articles and internet sources, as well as content data analysis. This paper argues that because of the dynamics of the global system, Africa continues to grapple with emerging trends and challenges within the context of regional conflicts, economic and political quagmire, as well as digitalization necessitates African integration process to align with the changing realities of global best practices and the acceleration of democratic culture. The expansion of trade liberalization across the globe has made it necessary that reforms be taken seriously in the process of building integrative institutions in Africa.