Trade

After decades of poor performance, many Sub-Saharan Africa's exports have risen significantly over the past 6-7 years, largely mirroring buoyant commodity prices. Africa's export performance and integration with the global economy thus still trails what is required to sustain accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.  While African countries have made progress on trade policy, significant trade integration and supply side constraints remain.
  
For a dynamic export push in Africa to take place, actions are needed by development partners and countries along two overlapping dimensions: (i) achieving a supportive environment for global integration, and (ii) address country-level, supply-side constraints.   The World Bank’s Africa Region uses a range of instruments — analytical, advisory, and funding — to help countries improve trade performance.

 

FEATURED:

Economic Partnership Agreements between Africa and the European Union: What to do Now?

18 SSA countries have now signed interim-EPAs.  What measures should these countries take so that these arrangements have a positive effect on development?  Can negotiations for full EPAs be used to help address country-level supply side constraints, to create conditions for more open regionalism and less restrictive African trade, and to liberalize trade in services  What should the other 25 counties without EPAs do?  This report provides an analysis of these questions. 

Non-Tariff Measures On Goods Trade In The East African Community and Map

The East African Community (EAC) requested a study to inform regional and national policy deliberations of its members, regarding the elimination of non-tariff measures (NTMs) that constrain goods trade in the region.  This resulting synthesis report takes an in-depth look at the diverse arena of NTMs in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, considers policies that would make these EAC members WTO-compliant in the area, considers actions that have been tried in other regional economic communities, and suggests practical ways to monitor, reduce and remove NTMs in the EAC.  A second phase of this work is being undertaken.  As they are finalized, the national policy notes on NTMs of the members and subsequent EAC deliberations will be made available here.