SPECIAL EDITION
U N I T E D N A T I O N S C O N F E R E N C E O N T R A D E A N D D E V E L O P M E N T
BUILDING THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA:
SOME SUGGESTIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD
UNITED NATIONS
ii
a) The vision ... 1
b) The potential benefits ... 2
c) Major challenges ... 3
d) Right mix of ambition and realism ... 5
a) Foundations for the Continental Free Trade Area: Regional economic communities and the Tripartite Free Trade Area ... 5
b) Trade agreements with external partners ... 6
c) A clearer division of labour between regional economic communities and the Continental Free Trade Area... 7
a) A comprehensive Continental Free Trade Area ... 7
b) Eliminating tariffs and non-tariff barriers on trade between African countries ... 8
c) Services trade agreement ... 11
d) Investment and competition ... 12
e) Trade facilitation ... 13
f) Regional value chains, especially in the agricultural sector ... 13
g) Dispute settlement/avoidance ... 14
h) World Trade Organization compatibility ... 14
1
x x x x
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
x
x
x
x
9
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Tariff year
Simple average Weighted average
0 500 000 1 000 000 1 500 000 2 000 000 2 500 000 3 000 000 3 500 000 4 000 000
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Tariff year
Simple average Tariff revenue-weighted average
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
