Blog
Industrial development – the importance of services, regulation and good governance
Talkmore Chidede, Trudi Hartzenberg
06 Sep 2020
Services, appropriate regulation and good governance are critical in industrial, and broader economic development. Services play a very significant role in Africa’s economic development;... read more 
South Africa’s July 2020 trade data – exports recover while imports remain below 2019 levels
Willemien Viljoen
05 Sep 2020
Between June and July of this year, South Africa’s total trade (exports + imports) increased by 12 percent.[1] Since May, South Africa has a trade surplus (global exports exceed imports)... read more 
How Trade Arrangements such as AGOA can drive Industrialisation in Less Developed Africa
John Stuart
03 Sep 2020
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is an act of the United States Congress, passed in 2000 and with the purpose of granting qualifying sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries prefer... read more 
January-June 2020 trade data: intermediates destined for African countries in transit through South Africa
Willemien Viljoen
03 Sep 2020
Although numerous African countries are yet to release trade data for 2020, South Africa’s trade data for the first six months of 2020[1] not only include South Africa’s official trade... read more 
COVID-19: Lessons for industrial development and policy for Africa
Trudi Hartzenberg, Talkmore Chidede
03 Sep 2020
Impact of COVID-19 The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected industries and economic fundamentals (e.g. demand, supply and production) in Africa and globally. It has resul... read more 
Regional industrial development in Africa – how can COVID-19 responses contribute?
Talkmore Chidede, Trudi Hartzenberg
03 Sep 2020
Industrial development has always been featured in Africa’s integration agenda. In recent years this focus has been sharpened and industrial strategies at continental and regional econom... read more 
COVID-19 – implications for SEZ in Africa: lessons from Rwanda
Aleksa Burmazovic
03 Sep 2020
COVID-19’s dire short-term economic consequences have the potential to act as a catalyst for much needed change for SEZs across Africa. Many marginal Special Economic Zones (SEZ) progra... read more 
The Secretariat is pivotal to the success of the AfCFTA
Trudi Hartzenberg
17 Aug 2020
A recent World Bank study emphasises the importance of implementation and the reduction of ‘red tape and simplification of customs procedures’ as key to the success of the AfCFTA. Lack... read more 
40th SADC Summit and the anticipated key trade issues on the agenda
Rwatida Mafurutu
14 Aug 2020
The 2020 Southern African Development Community (SADC) 40th Summit of Heads of State and Government kicked off in earnest on the 10th of August 2020. The Summit is being coordinated virtua... read more 
Brexit – Some Implications for Financial Services
Dirk de Vos, Trudi Hartzenberg
30 Jul 2020
Most discussions surrounding trade tend to focus on the trade of goods. Physical items, whether primary or manufactured products, are inherently tradeable. Services, restricted as they are... read more 
COVID-19 and the gender-related economic consequences for Africa
Gavin van der Nest
30 Jul 2020
The world is struggling to cope with the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its impact on women, and in particular the economic impact on women in sectors ... read more 
Testing Covid-19 regulations – the threshold looks low
Dawid van Wyk
28 Jul 2020
The South African Government’s first response to the Covid-19 pandemic was a hard lockdown, as it was called. The public response to the accompanying curtailment of rights and freedoms w... read more 
Does the AfCFTA have a formula to tackle Africa’s Non-Tariff Barriers?
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
Whereas tariffs are the taxes or duties imposed on imported goods, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) refer to restrictions resulting from prohibitions, conditions, or requirements that make the i... read more 
What Disputes could be heard by the AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism?
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
Will the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) be a rules-based dispensation? What is required in order to become one? The Preamble to the Agreement establishing the AfCFTA promises... read more 
The AfCFTA creates an additional African Free Trade Area
Gerhard Erasmus, Trudi Hartzenberg
28 Jul 2020
As a legal construct, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presently consists of a founding Agreement and three Protocols. The first Protocol establishes a new Free Trade Area ... read more 
The AfCFTA Agreement is in force – why can it not be implemented?
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
The AfCFTA Agreement formally entered into force on 30 May 2019, thirty days after twenty-two instruments ratifications had been deposited.[1] However, implementation is still not possible... read more 
The AfCFTA’s Institutions are vital for effective Implementation
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
When all the outstanding negotiations are complete, implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) obligations will be the responsibility of individual State Parti... read more 
May AfCFTA State Parties conclude new Trade Agreements?
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
In order to answer the question posed above one has to study the legal instruments adopted for the purpose of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). An important fe... read more 
Do the Regional Economic Communities protect basic Human Rights?
Gerhard Erasmus
28 Jul 2020
Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have been receiving more than the usual amount of attention lately because eight of them have been identified as the building blocks of the ... read more 
Do African RECs Increase Intra-African Trade? Some Evidence from Uganda
John Stuart
24 Jul 2020
Regional economic communities (RECs) come in various shapes and sizes. From the highly integrated European Union (EU) to the long-lived Southern African Customs Union (SACU), to the pre-FT... read more