ADVOCATING SUPRANATIONAL AFRICAN CITIZENSHIP AS A PANACEA TO XENOPHOBIA IN AFRICA

Abstract

Xenophobia is endemic to the successful economic, political and cultural integration of the African continents. Political commentators and writers have concentrated their criticism on xenophobia as the failure of states to protect foreign nationals living within their territories. Not much has been discussed from the point of failure of African Union to live up to its expectations as an agent of human integration in Africa. This work is an attempt to x-ray the effectiveness of the African Union in the realization of African integration. Drawing from the impact of the European Union in the realization of full political, economic, and cultural integration among member states territories in Europe it critiqued the sluggishness of the African Union to move further from its success in eliminating the apartheid regime in South Africa to the realization of African integration. It employed doctrinaire and analytical research methodology and found the African Union rather sluggish in the pursuits of its dream of integrating African continent. Drawing from the example of EU, it advocated the evolution of African integration in the form of supranational African citizenship, as a panacea to xenophobia in the African continent.