Facilitating regional integration through free movement of people in Africa : progress, challenges and prospects

Abstract

African regional integration has seen a multiplicity of efforts being made to overcome barriers that impede the free movement of goods and services. The free movement of people is one of the cornerstones and pillars of regional integration in Africa as it promotes tourism, intra-African trade, investment, labour mobility and skills circulation, employment creation and foster social integration on the continent. Although there may be identifiable achievements since the Abuja Treaty of 1991, such as the African Union Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment; African Charter on Human and People’s Rights; and the Migration Policy Framework for Africa and the free movement of people, the continent is still confronted