Browsing: intra-Africa trade

• Four feasible value chains, namely pharmaceuticals, cars, cotton apparel and baby food, could drive intra-Africa trade
• A new report said the four areas link at least five African countries from different regions and have the potential to add value, reduce imports, lift trade and diversify economies for women and youth
• Despite the potential, several challenges stand in the way of using the four areas to boost intra-Africa trade, including lack of trust in product quality 

New research has shortlisted four feasible value chains that could drive intra-Africa trade out of more than 415 possibilities.

According to the ‘Made by Africa: creating value through integration’ report, the four areas are pharmaceuticals, cars, cotton apparel and baby food.

What can Africa do to boost the value of intra-Africa trade?

The report said the four areas link at least five African countries from different regions and have the potential to add value, reduce …

AfCFTA’s successful implementation can boost trade and promote Africa’s economic recovery and growth. The AfCFTA is the world’s most extensive free trade area in terms of size and number of nations, with a combined GDP of around $3.4 trillion.
Increased integration would improve incomes, generate employment, stimulate investment, and make establishing regional supply chains easier. In comparison to Africa’s external trade, intra-African trade remains tiny. In 2020, just 18 per cent of exports went to other African nations.…

African countries should support each other if they are to bounce back fast after the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic which has paralysed the global economy.

The continent has immense wealth in resources including labour thus it can easily achieve economic freedoms without having to rely on aid.

With technology, Africa can also easily jumpstart its economy since the tried and tested methods which can support industries and agriculture among other sectors are easily available. Home-grown solutions for local problems are also easily accessible.

With the launch of the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) likely to be pushed from the July 1 date, the continent will have to wait longer to see the impact of opened borders and the free movement of goods between countries.

Intra-regional trade could create 2 million new jobs for East Africa

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has underscored the need for African countries to …