DOI: https://doi.org/10.36344/ccijhss.2026.v12i08.004

Pages: 183-208

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents one of Africa's most ambitious integration projects, designed to promote intra-African trade, economic cooperation, free movement of goods and services, and the broader aspirations of the African Union's Agenda 2063. However, the persistent occurrence of xenophobic violence in several African countries poses a significant threat to the successful implementation of this continental initiative. This paper examines how xenophobic attacks undermine regional integration by disrupting cross-border trade, discouraging labor mobility, weakening investor confidence, and eroding the spirit of Pan-Africanism upon which AfCFTA is founded. Using a qualitative and analytical approach, the study draws on secondary data from scholarly literature, African Union policy documents, reports of regional organizations, and documented cases of xenophobic violence, particularly in South Africa and other African states. The paper argues that xenophobia violates the principles of African solidarity and threatens the economic, political, and social objectives of Agenda 2063 by creating insecurity and mistrust among African citizens. It concludes that achieving the goals of AfCFTA requires stronger continental mechanisms for conflict prevention, human rights protection, public enlightenment, and the promotion of inclusive governance and Pan-African values. The study contributes to contemporary discourse on African integration by highlighting xenophobic violence as a critical obstacle to sustainable regional development.