African Development Report 2014: Regional Integration for Inclusive Growth

The theme of the African Development Report 2014, “Regional Integration for Inclusive Growth,” recognizes that regional integration is not an end in itself, but rather a tool for enhancing economic growth and fostering inclusion – within and between countries. After decades of relative stagnation, Africa has shown a steady upward improvement in performance in the past decade and a half. Average growth has been about 5 %, while the value of intra-African trade has increased fourfold over the last decade to reach USD 130 billion. This report discusses the regional opportunities that have come with this growth momentum, including the development of regional supply networks and trade in intermediate goods within Africa’s regional and global value chains. The report also looks at the hard and ‘soft’ infrastructure required to connect markets, enhance competitiveness, strengthen and deepen financial systems, and position Africa as a home for global business.