Regional integration in Africa has long been regarded as a foundational pathway to sustainable development, durable peace, and collective diplomatic strength. This paper examines the role of two of Africa’s most prominent regional economic communities, namely the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in advancing African integration and collective diplomacy. Drawing on a qualitative research design and anchored within the theoretical frameworks of neo-functionalism and constructivism, the study analyses the institutional architectures, policy instruments, diplomatic initiatives, and integration records of both blocs. The paper argues that while ECOWAS and SADC have made notable strides in conflict mediation, economic cooperation, electoral governance, and the harmonisation of regional policies, their effectiveness is fundamentally constrained by issues of state sovereignty, political will, resource limitations, hegemonic dynamics, and overlapping institutional mandates. The study further identifies key gaps in the existing literature, particularly regarding the comparative analysis of both blocs within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The findings reveal that collective diplomacy under these blocs remains uneven and is shaped more by the foreign policy interests of dominant member states than by a coherent supranational institutional logic. The paper recommends institutional reforms, enhanced funding mechanisms, rationalisation of REC memberships, and stronger civil society engagement to deepen integration and diplomatic coherence across both sub-regions.
Keywords: Regional integration, Diplomacy, African Union, Neo-functionalism, Constructivism
