UBUNTU PHILOSOPHY AND REGIONAL GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA: A HUMAN-CENTRED FRAMEWORK FOR REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Regional governance in Africa has traditionally been shaped by state-centric, sovereignty-focused models inherited from colonial systems and Western frameworks, resulting in elite-driven institutions that often fail to reflect citizens' lived realities. This study examines how Ubuntu philosophy, emphasising human dignity, solidarity, reciprocity, and communal interdependence, can provide a human-centred framework for enhancing regional governance. Using a qualitative, literature-based approach, it analyses cases including South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Botswana’s kgotla system, and Rwanda’s Gacaca Courts, showing how Ubuntu-inspired principles of restorative justice, consensus-building, and communal accountability foster governance, social cohesion, and conflict resolution. Findings suggest that embedding Ubuntu values into AU and REC frameworks, promoting participatory civil society platforms, and advancing educational and cultural exchanges can strengthen inclusive, ethical governance, improve cooperation across states, and address socio-political and economic disparities. While challenges such as state sovereignty, limited institutional capacity, and cultural diversity persist, Ubuntu offers a culturally resonant and ethically grounded resource for building accountable, people-centred regional institutions. Re-centring Ubuntu within regional governance provides a transformative approach to policy and institutional design in Africa. Through foregrounding collective responsibility, participatory engagement, and restorative justice, Ubuntu can bridge the gap between elite-driven governance and grassroots realities, fostering sustainable integration, peace, and development across the continent. African regional institutions should integrate Ubuntu principles into policy frameworks, create inclusive deliberative platforms for civil society participation, and promote educational and cultural initiatives that reinforce solidarity, ethical leadership, and mutual accountability among states and citizens.