ATDF Journal-AfCFTA Volume 9, Issue 2 2018 on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) looks at Economic Transformation and Regional Integration in Africa. Till now, the role of intra-African trade has been limited as African economies trade relatively little between themselves. Now, African leaders are determined to change that. The signing of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement by fourty nine African Heads of States ushers a new mometum towards economic integration on the African continent. The new free trade deal replacing the current regional and bilateral trade agreements covers more than 1.2 billion people with a combined GDP of around $3.4 trillion across Africa. It is to be eventually extended to create common policies on investment, competition and intellectual property.

The competitiveness of Africa’s economies depends on the level of productivity of individual nations, regions, and cities to facilitate trade and investment into opportunities for firms, farms, and social and physical infrastructure.

Download PDF: Volume 9, Issue 2 2018. ISSN: 1817-2008 Abbreviation: Afr. Technol. Dev. Forum j

It remains to be seen how many more countries sign up. Nigeria and other countries are cautious about the prospects for success, as no one knows with certainty what the CFTA means for economic growth and prosperity and may have limited benefits.

This Special Issue builds on the optimism and pessimism of different experts on the impacts of the agreement. Some expert’s worry the whole exercise could be “unworkably large” and will not address the real reasons why intra-Africa trade is low. The infrastructure needed to facilitate intra-regional business is poor, and most countries don’t produce many finished goods that their neighbours want.

Inside this issue:

Gold, Economic Transformation and Regional Integration in Africa (PDF)
Dr Paul Jourdan, Professor Roman Grynberg, Fwasa Singogo

The African Continental Free Trade Area – A beacon of free trade? (PDF)
Francis Mangeni

Special Products and Safeguard Mechanism: Designing Options for AfCFTA Trade in Agriculture  (PDF)
Constantine Obura Bartel

Global Business in Local Culture: The Impact of Embedded MNEs (PDF)
Philip Aerni

Non-Tariff Measures: Unintentional Restriction on EAC Growth  (PDF)
Constantine Obura Bartel

Can the AfCFTA deliver on Africa-wide industrial development? (Abstract) (Forthcoming)