Africa Regional Integration

Strategy

Deepening support for regional integration in Africa

The World Bank Group has supported Africa’s regional integration since the 1980s. Today, the Africa regional integration portfolio supported by the International Development Association (IDA) spans more than 90 projects worth over $16 billion, representing 13% of the World Bank’s total portfolio for Africa.

The World Bank Group is investing over $8 billion in additional funding through 2023 to deepen support for regional connectivity, trade and market integration, human capital development, and greater resilience.

Work is guided by the Bank Group’s Regional Integration and Cooperation Assistance Strategy for 2021–2023. It encompasses the entire continent, including North African countries, to strengthen dialogue on a continental integration policy agenda and engage the private sector in North Africa on scaling-up investments in other parts of the continent. 

Focus Areas

Regional connectivity

Reduce barriers to trade, transport, and digital transformation

Trade and market integration

Promote regional value chains, financial markets, and the African Continental Free Trade Area

Human capital

Strengthen health care, skills development, women’s empowerment, and statistics and digital IDs

Resilience

Increase food security and address the effects of climate change

Koumpentoum, Senegal. Amadou Diallo speaks with herders and farmers during a consultation meeting to open a dialogue and seek compromises so that solutions can be found and conflicts reduced. © Vincent Tremeau/World Bank.

Fragility

Promote cross-border approaches to address fragility, conflict, and climate-related shocks

Expanding African Trade to Boost Growth and Reduce Poverty

Partnerships

Expand engagement with regional economic communities and the private sector

Coming together to benefit each other

The World Bank is collaborating with African countries and regional institutions to empower people, unleash trade, and optimize shared natural resources and economies of scale to achieve Africa’s transformation.