The official start of free trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021 moved a major continental aspiration closer to reality. One year later, cross-border trade in goods and services may not exactly be in full swing as had been anticipated, but indications are that there is some progress—the cup is half-full, not half-empty. A major hurdle is ongoing negotiations on the remaining crucial elements of the trade pact, particularly rules of origin. However, in an interview with Africa Renewal last month, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, sketched an optimistic vision of 2022. Factory workers producing garments for overseas clients, in Accra, Ghana. Credit: World Bank In sum, AfCFTA’s implementation will rev into higher gear, traders would be delighted, and the push toward accelerated industrialization of the continent should begin in earnest. Concluding negotiations on rules of origin, which is basically to determine the “nationalities” of thousands of products to prevent dumping, will be key to success. Already, negotiators have reached an impressive 87.8 percent agreement on rules of origin. That includes more than 80 percent of the about 8,000 products listed under the World Customs Organisation’s Harmonized System of rules of origin and tariffs. Such a high threshold of consensus guarantees that the vast majority of products can be traded. “What is outstanding are automobiles, textiles, clothing and sugar. These account for about 12-15 percent of what we call the tariff book. We want to conclude negotiations on these so that we can reach...

The United Kingdom (UK) at the weekend reaffirmed its commitments to channelling investments into Africa as Britain’s development finance in Africa exceeded target to hit £2.2 billion by 2021. At the second UK’s Africa Investment Conference (AIC) at the weekend, UK affirmed that Africa remains the focus for investment over the next five-year strategy period. The CDC Group, UK’s development finance institution, exceeded its 2020 commitment to invest £2 billion in Africa over the last two years with a closing mark of £2.2 billion by the end of 2021. The growth in Britain’s investments in African businesses came amidst the unprecedented upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC is owned by the UK Government and it is regarded as a champion of the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. All proceeds from investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Asia and Africa. To enhance UK-Africa partnerships, UK at the second AIC launched a new ‘Growth Gateway’ – a digital tool to link African and British businesses to UK Government trade, finance and investment services and opportunities.  The service provides practical online support to businesses in Africa that want to export to and invest in the UK, and businesses in the UK that want to export to and invest in Africa, backed up by a team of trade and investment specialists. The second AIC highlighted Britain’s strategic plan to boost economic cooperation with African nations and enhance UK’s role as the continent’s investment partner of...

Summary In its latest market summary, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said demand for air freight has stayed above pre-crisis levels. IATA director general Willie Walsh, said data points that the cost-competitiveness of air cargo relative to that of container shipping has improved over recent months. Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines have already drawn up strategies to take advantage of their respective airports which are investing on cargo segments. The battle for the air freight market share among African airlines is intensifying, thanks to Covid-19 disruptions that have driven up ocean freight rates. Many airlines are now upgrading their fleets and expanding destinations as shortage of containers in the region continues to bite. In its latest market summary, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said demand for air freight has stayed above pre-crisis levels. “African airlines saw international cargo volumes increase by 26.7 percent end of last year, which is the largest increase of all regions. International capacity was 9.4 percent higher than pre-crisis levels, Africa is the only region in positive territory, albeit on small volumes,” read part of the IATA market summary. Cost-competitiveness Shippers Council of East Africa Chief Executive Gilbert Lagat said, apart from cost and efficiency, time to receive consignments has boosted the air freight business considering persistent road and ocean delays. “Importers consider time, cost and efficiency. If the consignment reaches on time at a moderate cost, importers will consider and with the increasing trade barriers at the borders, air freight is the best...

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister has said the governments of Uganda and Kenya have removed certain trade barriers impeding the flow of commodities into landlocked South Sudan. The hurdles include the compulsory Covid-19 retest of truck drivers imposed by the Ugandan authorities – and the electronic cargo tracking deal a Juba-based company, K-Polygone SAS extended to Uganda’s IVESCO Uganda Limited. More than a week ago, regional truck drivers protested against Ugandan authorities for imposing a compulsory second test for Covid-19 despite having taken the booster from one’s country of origin. The move caused shortages of goods including fuel in Uganda as truck drivers parked at the Malaba and Busia entry points to Uganda for several days. This reportedly led to a shoot-up in commodity prices there with South Sudan being affected as well. Deputy Foreign Affair Minister, Deng Dau says he met with Kenyan Ministers of Transport and Trade before traveling to Kampala, Uganda on Thursday to resolve the matter. “With our meeting the government of Uganda, that thing was resolved. And that all the truck drivers tested in one country are allowed, and the testing can last up to 14 days,” Deng said. According to him, more than one thousand trucks destined for South Sudan left Malaba and Bussia on Friday. Praising the move, Dau said “I’m happy to report that the governments of Kenya and Uganda are both supportive … And yesterday about 1026 trucks have left.” Concerning the electronic cargo tracking deal the Trade and Industry Ministry and...

Afreximbank in partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat have launched the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS). The launch of PAPPS aims to boost intra-African trade by transforming and facilitating payment, clearing and settlement for cross-border trade across Africa. The platform is also expected to save Africa more than Ksh. 567 billion (USD 5 billion) annually in payment transaction costs, underpinning the operationalization of the AfCFTA. According to Afreximbank, PAPSS provides the solution to the disconnected and fragmented nature of payment and settlement systems that have long impeded intra-African trade. Prior to PAPSS, over 80% of African cross-border payment transactions originating from African banks had to be routed offshore for clearing and settlement using international banking relationships. That process posed multiple challenges including payment delays to operational inefficiencies and compliance concerns for the disparate regional payment systems. PAPSS, which has been successfully piloted in the six countries of the West African Monetary Zone, delivers among others, the following benefits. Reducing the cost, duration and time variability of cross-border payments across Africa. Decreasing the liquidity requirements of commercial banks for cross-border payments. Strengthening oversight of cross-border payment systems by central banks. Speaking at the launch event, Ghanian President Nana Akufo-Addo complimented Afreximbank and AfCFTA Secretariat for the establishment of the payment system saying, “This launch is a result of many months of hard work, resolve and commitment towards achieving set objectives for the growth of the continent in trade. All Central Banks in Africa must now join up and ensure seamless transfer of...

Summary The AfCFTA is a flagship project of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, Africa’s long-term development strategy for transforming the continent into a global powerhouse of the future. The African Continental Free Trade Area is the world’s largest free trade area, and the largest trade organisation since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation, bringing together 54 countries of the African Union and eight regional economic communities to create a single market. It has a population of about 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of about $3.4 trillion. In addition to being a free trade area, the AfCFTA is a flagship project of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, Africa’s long-term development strategy for transforming the continent into a global powerhouse of the future. The agreement establishing the AfCFTA was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, on March 21, 2018 by 44 AU member states. Ten more countries have since signed the pact. The AfCFTA Agreement entered into force on May 30, 2019, 30 days after the deposit of the 22nd instrument of ratification, as specified in its Article 23. Trading under the AfCFTA started on January 1, 2021. Opportunities The AfCFTA market comes with many opportunities, some of which are highlight in this article. Consumer welfare gains: Consumers will have limitless choice of quality products at an affordable price. This is due to the fact that AfCFTA aims at eliminating import duties on products that are produced within Africa and thus satisfy the rules of origin. It also defines standards...

Established in 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents perhaps Africa’s biggest opportunity for the next few decades in its battle against poverty of all forms; energy and infrastructure included. Against the backdrop of the tens of millions of Africans that have been plunged into extreme poverty by the onslaught of the covid-19 Pandemic, a strong case must be made for a speedy implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. It is projected that under the AfCFTA, extreme poverty will significantly decline across the continent. West Africa, for instance, would witness the biggest decline in the number of people living in extreme poverty; namely a decline of approximately 12 million people, which is more than a third of the total for all of Africa. But beyond extreme poverty eradication, it’s about time that the true economic might of Africa is realised through intra-African trade. Compared with Asia and Europe with 59% and 68% intra-continental trade, only 17% of exports from African countries are intra-continental (World Economic Forum), due to age-long tariff and non-tariff barriers, which the AfCFTA is essentially established to eliminate. The fact that intra-African trade constitutes only about 2% of global trade means there are significant gains to be realised if the AfCFTA is properly implemented. A continent that controls vast resources and a 1.2 billion-strong consumer market should be an economic no-brainer of a success, especially considering its young burgeoning and vibrant population. The African socio-economic and political construct under the AfCFTA dispensation must...

This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. About the author: Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) & Taffere Tesfachew, Acting Managing Director, UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries Limited use of technology is inhibiting LDCs’ path towards structural transformation. These countries can implement measures in several areas to build their technological capacity. Innovative approaches to resource mobilization should be explored to fund such transition. Structural transformation is the process of moving resources from low productivity to higher productivity and skill-intensive sectors, thereby setting development and economic catch-up into motion. While many countries have achieved structural transformation in a matter of decades, the least developed countries (LDCs) have been notoriously slow in this respect. One of the factors for this lack of structural transformation is LDCs’ overwhelming dependence on commodities for production and exports. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s Commodities and Development Report 2021, over 75% of African LDCs depend on commodity production for over half of their export earnings, though Asian LDCs have a relatively diversified export basket. The report also suggests that it is extremely challenging to move away from the trap of commodity dependence and attain structural transformation. Fortunately, a combination of technology and global integration can help countries on this path. When it comes to technological advancement and its effective use, the LDCs are at the lower end of the ladder. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s Global Innovation Index 2021, which monitors the state of technological...

Ultimately, though, the only way to defeat poverty and graduate from aid is greatly to increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – of which there is a vast potential reservoir in the world looking for the right destination, writes Peter Fabricius from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Ultimately, though, the only way to defeat poverty and graduate from aid is greatly to increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – of which there is a vast potential reservoir in the world looking for the right destination, writes Peter Fabricius from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Aid remains among the most important elements of the relationship between the developed world and Africa’s least developed countries (LDCs) in particular. Africa has received more aid than any other region, an accumulated total of more than US$2,4 trillion between 1960 and 2018, according to Jakkie Cilliers in his book The Future of Africa. Yet many observers and analysts believe there has been precious little to show for it. In her 2009 book Dead Aid; Why Aid Makes Things Worse and How There is an Another Way for Africa, the Zambian economist Dambisa Moyo, asked why, despite such large aid, most sub-Saharan countries still “flounder in a seemingly never-ending cycle of corruption, disease, poverty, and aid-dependency.” Her answer was that aid is inherently bad because it creates dependency by removing much of the incentive for African countries to fend for themselves – for example by improving their tax collection systems to earn their own government revenue. It is mostly paid...

Vice President Salous Chilima on Tuesday addressed the 21st Common Market for the Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) summit in Egypt with a call for the regional block to move swiftly in adopting digitalisation and developing economic recovery plans following the devastation of the Covid pandemic. Chilima—who during the Sadc Summit in Lilongwe urged member states to embrace digitilisation and e-government—is representing President Lazarus Chakwera at the summit. Advertisement He said there was urgent need for Comesa to develop a robust economic recovery plan in order to build back economies because soon Covid will no longer be an excuse to people. “The Covid pandemic has reversed some of the gains that we had achieved over years in our respective countries. We, as Malawi, also have had our fair share of the negative impact that the pandemic caused on the economy,” he said. Chilima said on regional level, the value of Comesa’s total exports to the world decreased by 27 percent from $123.4 billion in 2019 to $90.3 billion in 2020, while the value of Intra-Comesa total exports declined by 11 percent from $10.9 billion in 2019 to $9.7 billion in 2020. Advertisement “What is more worrying is that the uptake of vaccines in the region is currently less than three percent. Therefore, as a response, we need to develop a robust economic recovery plan. “We need to build back. We need to build resilience. Soon Covid 19 will no longer be an excuse to our people. As a regional group,...