A Critical Appraisal of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement

Akinkugbe, Olabisi D.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3734608

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…While the Protocol on Trade in Goods provides the principles, exceptions and other rules governing trade in goods between the State Parties, the Protocol on Trade in Services does so for trade in services. The Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of Disputes, which is “modelled on that of the World Trade Organization” (Akinkugbe, 2021, p. 290), provides the framework for resolving disputes between State Parties under the AfCFTA.…”

Section: The Afcfta: Objectives Institutional Architecture and Key Ag...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides, the fact that the AfCFTA “generated significant political will at the same time that the WTO crisis, Brexit, and the U.S.-China trade agreements are wreaking havoc on international trade law” (Kuhlmann and Agutu, 2020, p. 757) makes it even a more significant achievement of AU Member States. It has also been remarked that “the AfCFTA represents a significant moment for African states to harness the continent’s international trade and investment opportunities on their own terms” (Akinkugbe, 2021, p. 284). As such, it is a bold project that African countries have embarked upon, with potentially huge impact on their economies and the role of the continent in the global economic order.…”

Section: The Afcfta: Objectives Institutional Architecture and Key Ag...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The African continental free trade area: the road ahead for the continent’s bold integration project

Hagos

2023

JITLP

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Purpose This paper aims to examine the road ahead for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), focusing on its potential opportunities and challenges. It is intended to help the AfCFTA’s effective implementation by highlighting the major areas of intervention for State Parties. Design/methodology/approach The paper analyses relevant economic, political and legal research sources on regional integration in Africa and offers some personal views of the author to evaluate the past, present and future of the AfCFTA. Findings The paper shows that the AfCFTA can support its State Parties’ industrialization and diversification, better integrate micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to regional value chains, create jobs, encourage sustainable investments and help its State Parties have common positions on global issues and achieve development. But, it also shows the challenges facing the AfCFTA, which include infrastructure gap, revenue and job losses, overlapping membership of State Parties in Regional Economic Communities, cumbersome customs systems, difficulty to cross African borders, fledgling MSMEs and inadequate technical capacity on trade policy. Accordingly, it recommends that State Parties continuously take various actions to address these challenges and maximize the multiple benefits of the AfCFTA. Originality/value The paper provides a comprehensive and up-to-date appraisal of the opportunities and challenges of the AfCFTA, both in the context of the history of regional integration in Africa and the recent global shocks that adversely impacted the continent (COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine).

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Section: The Afcfta: Objectives Institutional Architecture and Key Ag...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Afcfta: Objectives Institutional Architecture and Key Ag...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The African continental free trade area: the road ahead for the continent’s bold integration project

Hagos

2023

JITLP

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“…For example, one-fifth of SACU and EAC exports are within Africa. 12 World Bank (2022),Akinkugbe (2021),Woolfrey and Byiers (2019),Yang and Gupta (2005),Hailu (2014), de Melo andTsikata (2015),Jung (2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

Trade Integration in Africa

El-Ganainy¹

2023

Departmental Papers

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This IMF Departmental Paper was completed under the overall guidance of Vivek Arora and Subir Lall. The authors thank Anna Belianska, Kabinet Kaba, and Faisal Alfhaili for valuable inputs on digitalization, global value chains, and firm-level analysis of export decisions, respectively. The authors further thank Jihad Azour, Wenjie Chen, Michele Ruta, Monique Newiak, and Abebe Selassie; as well as colleagues at the AfCFTA Secretariat, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, World Bank Group, and World Trade Organization for helpful comments and suggestions. The paper also benefited from comments from IMF departments and Executive Directors. The authors also thank Lorraine Coffey of the IMF Communications Department for leading the editorial and production process and Haya Abu Sharar for production assistance.The Departmental Paper Series presents research by IMF staff on issues of broad regional or crosscountry interest. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

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Now That We Have Moved in Words, Can We Move in Action? the AU, Member States and African Union Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons in Africa

Adeola¹

2022

SAPL

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A Critical Appraisal of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

The African continental free trade area: the road ahead for the continent’s bold integration project

The African continental free trade area: the road ahead for the continent’s bold integration project

Trade Integration in Africa

Now That We Have Moved in Words, Can We Move in Action? the AU, Member States and African Union Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons in Africa

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