Framework for boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services
Framework for boosting intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.

Published: 2021-02-10

Total Pages: 80

ISBN-13: 9251339147

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The African agricultural and food market is expanding quickly as indicated by World Bank projections that show that the value of Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness industry is expected to more than triple to reach USD 1 trillion by 2030, compared to 2010 (World Bank, 2013). This provides an opportunity to not only boost trade in food and non-food agricultural commodities and services within the continent but also enhance food security in Africa. Regional integration is also gaining momentum as evidenced by progress in the creation of customs unions and the initial steps in setting up a common external tariff at the regional level in a number of regional economic communities (RECs) such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) further reinforces the gains achieved in regional integration and opens new market opportunities for farmers and other economic operators.It has been shown that the export of higher value-added products made in Africa is greater in regional markets than in external markets outside Africa, which are typically dominated by raw material exports. However, more than a decade after the adoption of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in Maputo in 2003 by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in response to the stagnation of African agriculture, Africa continues to remain a marginal player, accounting for only 2.7 percent of world trade in goods and 5 percent of world agricultural trade (Bouët and Odjo, 2019).These figures are likely to trend downwards significantly in the near term due to the economic shock caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The continent currently depends to a significant degree on extra-African sources for imports of food and agricultural products. The share of intra-African agricultural trade has been consistently below 20 percent in recent decades (Bouët and Odjo, 2019; AGRA, 2019). Comparable figures for intraregional agricultural trade are higher for Asia and Europe (more than 60 percent).

The Economic Significance of Intra-African Trade
The Economic Significance of Intra-African Trade

Author: Andrew Mold

Publisher:

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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To make its case, the paper starts with a theoretical and empirical review of the drivers of trade growth globally, highlighting the role played by regional trade agreements. Because of econometric and methodological errors, earlier studies purportedly showing that previous regional integration efforts on the continent were ineffective are wrong: Recent research points to these agreements boosting intra-African exports by 27 to 32 percent on average. Moreover, contrary to received wisdom, there is nothing out-of-the-ordinary in the existing levels of intra-regional trade; indeed, by some metrics, parts of Africa display a stronger degree of trade integration than comparable regions elsewhere in the world. Finally, the paper provides a recalculation of the intensity of intra-African trade, taking into account structural economic differences and the prevalence of informal cross-border trade, to arrive at a set of new estimates. The paper ends by arguing that, as AfCFTA implementation begins, it is time to change the narrative and to start to "talk up" intra-African trade

Intra-African agricultural trade: Recent trends and nutritional content
Intra-African agricultural trade: Recent trends and nutritional content

Author: Olivetti, Elsa

Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst

Published: 2023-10-26

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13:

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Increasing intra-African trade has long been an important development objective. The free movement of goods, services, factors of production, and people is seen as a key outcome of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which expresses broad goals and aspirations for development and political and economic integration on the continent. The 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods includes tripling intra-African agricultural trade by 2025 as one of seven major commitments. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in January 2021, seeks to increase intra-African trade in order to boost industrial and socioeconomic development. With several important areas of the AfCFTA Agreement, including rules of origin, still under negotiation as of early 2023, the African Union adopted “Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation” as its theme for 2023 in an effort to increase attention and commitment to the AfCFTA.

How Africa Trades
How Africa Trades

Author: David Luke

Publisher: LSE Press

Published: 2023-05-15

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 1911712071

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Trade is an essential driver of economic transformation, growth, and prosperity. At a time of global uncertainty and policy fluidity, this comprehensive volume demystifies African trade and trade policy to provide a deeper understanding of how trade impacts the lives of all Africans and the continent’s development aspirations. Featuring a wealth of data-driven evaluations of trade negotiations and policy choices, How Africa Trades is an invaluable open access resource for making sense of the continent’s major trade challenges, including commodity dependence, competitiveness, and how African countries engage with often unconducive international trade rules that distort global markets. In-depth analysis focuses on intra-African trade initiatives, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), trade between African countries and their major trading partners, and how the short-term shocks of Covid-19 restrictions brought about longer-term changes in informal and formal trade patterns, and sped-up shifts in digital trade.

Drivers for Boosting Intra-African Investment Flows Towards Africa's Transformation
Drivers for Boosting Intra-African Investment Flows Towards Africa's Transformation

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13:

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The study provides evidence of the complementarities between trade and investment in Africa. Given the trade potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area and its likely implications for boosting intra-African trade and investment, there is a need for African countries to harness the area as a platform to boost intra-investment. Boosting intra-African trade through the area is instrumental in increasing productivity, enhancing competitiveness and supporting economic growth. This needs to be accompanied, however, by investment regulation and policies that unlock the associated joint benefits of trade and investment growth. It is therefore relevant to develop common rules on investment in the context of the area to lock in the expected dynamic and static effects of trade and investment flows on the continent.

A Handbook on Regional Integration in Africa
A Handbook on Regional Integration in Africa

Author: Brendan Vickers

Publisher: Commonwealth Secretariat

Published: 2017-04-10

Total Pages: 95

ISBN-13: 1849291675

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A Handbook on Regional Integration in Africa advises and informs on current dynamics, opportunities, challenges and policy options for Africa’s regional integration agenda. It is a unique resource for supporting capacity-building on African regional trade issues.

Assessing Regional Integration in Africa IV
Assessing Regional Integration in Africa IV

Author: African Union

Publisher: United Nations Publications

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 504

ISBN-13: 9789211251142

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The publication seeks to address the pressing issues that are negatively affecting trade amongst African countries. It undertakes a comprehensive empirical analysis of intra-African trade to determine why it has remained consistently low over the past decades. The report proposes concrete recommendations, to be implemented by member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), members of the private-sector, and other stakeholders in Africa's development. It also analyses the various policy issues and other factors that have affected intra-African trade.

Economic Development in Africa
Economic Development in Africa

Author: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13:

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This report argues that for African countries to reap developmental gains from intra-African trade and regional integration, they need to place the building of productive capacities and domestic entrepreneurship at the heart of the policy agenda for boosting intra-regional trade. It also analyses the range of strategies and complementary policies that will be needed, besides trade policies, to ensure that regional integration enhances African enterprise development and economic development in general. It explores, among others, the role of national and regional industrial policy and the scope for developing regional development corridors. Lessons are drawn from other developmental regional experiences.