THE EFFECTS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION ON YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN AFRICA; A CASE STUDY OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (2000-2015

Abstract

Employment creation is considered as one of the benefits of regional integration. This research examines the effects of regional integration on unemployment reduction in Africa through a case study of the East African Community. The main aim of the study is to examine EAC regionally driven strategies for unemployment reduction in East Africa so as to seek lessons on how regional integration can facilitate youth unemployment reduction in the EAC. Some of the strategies include several policy frameworks, regionally driven foreign investment attraction, infrastructural expansion projects and integration protocols. In addition, the research systematically examines the trends, causes and effects of unemployment/youth unemployment in Africa and East Africa. The study found low demand of labor is a leading cause of unemployment among the youth in Africa, that further aggressive drive for foreign investments in the EAC can facilitate youth unemployment reduction in the sub-region. This study is based on Marlow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory. The research adopted a mixed method research methodology which is based on secondary data.