Across the continent, African countries are implementing various projects to improve intraregional trade, with a specific focus on improved trade facilitation and the constraints that impede cross-border trade. Efforts have focused on ensuring improved …

Recent months have borne witness to an explosion of women-led protests across the world. These include attempts from governments to restrict and regulate women’s reproductive and sexual rights, the #MeToo movement, and the ‘glass ceiling’ facing women’ …

Implementing public–private partnerships (PPPs) can provide national governments with much more attractive conditions for private investment. In return, governments can gain many advantages from private investors, such as greater operational efficiency …

This paper examines the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in Africa. It gives a macro view of the overall benefits that improved trade facilitation holds for Africa, and highlights some of the benefits that implementing the TFA h …

Media-fuelled perceptions of European countries being “swarmed” by Africans arouse deep-rooted insecurity about national identity, mistrust of “the other”, racism, and xenophobic attacks. Indeed, the world is witnessing increased anti-migration sentime …

This policy briefing draws on the findings of a discussion paper examining South Africa and Rwanda’s efforts to include women in the renewable energy (RE) sector. A comprehensive gender mainstreaming toolkit was developed based on this research, which …

This month the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group are set to embark on negotiations to decide the framework for a new Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA),  expected to be in place in February 2020. As the process unf …

What is the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA)?Signed in June 2000, the CPA is a treaty between the European Union (EU) and 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Its main objectives are poverty reduction, sustainable development and econo …

On 21 March 2018, AU leaders met in Rwanda to finalise the signing of a new trade agreement creating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The inauguration of the AfCFTA reflects a milestone for future continental unity, regional integratio …

In March 2018, 44 African countries signed the umbrella agreement creating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Kigali, Rwanda. The AfCFTA represents a continental vision for a single market for the trade of goods and services and the fr …

This paper examines the potential for developing a macadamia nut value chain within Southern Africa, while also exploring the potential for incorporating smallholder producers into the macadamia nut industry. Using the country case studies of South Afr …

It’s a familiar sight at border posts: women with baskets groaning under the weight of fresh produce, cheap manufactured goods or handicrafts ready to be traded on the other side. Informal cross-border trade is one of the oldest forms of economic survi …

Given its long association with the multilateral trading system, Bangladesh has adopted a cautious stance towards the concept of plurilateral trade agreements (PTAs). It knows that it would face a number of risks and uncertainties if it were to join on …

Chile is considered a socio-economic development success story in Latin America. Since transitioning to democracy in 1989, the country has experienced positive growth and attained middle-income country status. Liberal economic programmes coupled with p …

Plurilateral trade agreements (PTAs) are voluntary agreements of a sectoral nature that are entered into by more than two WTO member states. The WTO membership is to be notified of PTAs when signatories decide to formally incorporate a PTA into the WTO …

This case study analyses Malawi’s position vis-à-vis the current negotiations underpinning the four plurilateral agreements discussed in this report. It explores issues surrounding the negotiations that are pertinent to Malawi and provides recommendati …

In 2017, more than one hundred countries began discussions on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees. Both seek to arrive at agreed-upon principles and commitments among UN states on issues facing …

On 22 and 23 May 2017, the UN hosted its second informal thematic session of the Global Compact on Migration. Designed to gather information, the sessions provide an informal setting for sharing experiences among UN member states, together with civil s …

Ahead of the fifth AU–EU Summit in November 2017, this policy brief identifies changing trends in Africa–EU migration relations under the 2007 Joint Africa– EU Strategy (JAES), the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and the outcomes from the 201 …

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of South Africa’s immigration regime and its impact on African economic migrants. The current migration policy is being amended as a result of South Africa’s desire to attract skilled migrants and deter irre …

Asmita Parshotam unpacks the continent-wide agreement aimed at accelerating integration and economic development. What is the Continental Free Trade Agreement?The Continental Free Trade Agreement(CFTA) is an Africa-wide free trade agreement (FTA) desig …

This paper unpacks Tanzania’s investment laws and their impact on the development of the country’s agricultural sector. It discusses current government-led policies and initiatives that aim to stimulate growth in Tanzania’s agricultural sector while im …

This paper examines the role of the African Development Fund (ADF) in its efforts to support African low-income countries (LICs) in meeting their infrastructure financing needs. African LICs currently face tremendous infrastructure financing gaps, but …