Rapid economic growth and development is being witnessed in such nations as Rwanda, Malawi and Angola. Nations such as Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are churning a growing and increasingly robust private sector. Africa Development Bank (ADB) reports that the middle-class in the continent is growing rapidly and stood at about 34% of the population in 2011, the consequence of which has been consumption boom across the continent.

Amidst such rosy statistics, however, it is pitiable that intra-state trade in Africa (trade between African states) accounts for a dismal 12% of her total trade volumes. ADB reported in 2011 that East Africa’s size of middle-class falls below the continent’s average by more than 05 percentage points (22.6% versus 34% respectively).

Such realities beg the consideration of regional integration as layout by the East African Community blueprint - Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and Political federation in graduating order. The nay sayers contend that the challenges of realizing this envisioned end are considerable.

What is more important to observe is that the challenges that the individual member states are grappling with are markedly similar - food and water insecurity and high energy costs, both which occasion a high cost of living and doing business, and unfavourable import-export ratios with the external world.

These challenges can be better addressed through concerted effort by the member states. Uganda and Kenya, for instance, are undertaking oil exploration whose efforts, if brought to fruition, could go a long way, through integration, in helping member states cushion such external shocks as that brought about by the Arab Spring in 2011.

Further to this, the global arena is becoming increasingly competitive and such has heightened the need for strategic alliance. In consequence of this we have witnessed proliferation of blocks including the Asean (Association of South East Asian Nations), the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and MIST (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Turkey). The undeniable fact is that Africa nations must fashion their policies, both foreign and domestic, taking cognizance of these realities. The necessity and propriety of regional integration cannot be understated.