Blog
Trade Remedies in the African Trade Governance Context
23 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
Trade remedies and safeguards are used by governments to deal with unfair trade practices and unforeseen consequences when trade in goods is liberalised. However, they must comply with spe...read more
Was Glasgow a Cop Out?
16 Nov 2021 ~ David Christianson
Even before the ink on the Glasgow Climate Pact had yet dried, commentators were scrambling to decide whether the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convent...read more
Prospects and Developments in the WTO talks on Export Restrictions
16 Nov 2021 ~ Kedibone Machiu, Mpho Leseka, Noncedo Vutula, Thembekile Mlangeni
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the limitations in the WTO rules on export restrictions. Consequently, the food importing countries such as Japan, Singapore, Chinese ...read more
Supporting transition – the matter of incentives, supply and demand
15 Nov 2021 ~ Anthony Leiman
Europe and the USA got rich on the back of coal fired industries, and China is still doing so. Unsurprisingly, coal rich developing nations also see it as an asset, and need incentives to ...read more
What are the costs of “the end of coal”?
15 Nov 2021 ~ Anthony Leiman
On 3 November, the UK released a report stating that 190 participants across the world had committed themselves to:
end all investment in new coal power generation domestically and in...read more
Making sense of the COP26 agenda
15 Nov 2021 ~ Anthony Leiman
In December 2015, 196 participating countries at that year’s conference of parties (COP 21) signed the Paris Accord whose aim was to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-indu...read more
Should farmers be worried about the “Methane Pledge”?
15 Nov 2021 ~ Anthony Leiman
Should farmers be worried about the COP “Methane Pledge” to reduce methane emissions by 30% before 2030?[1] There was real concern amongst them in the UK and Ireland, especially when n...read more
COP 26’s collective action problem
01 Nov 2021 ~ David Christianson
Summit conferences can take decisive decisions. But there are occasions where their outcomes are little more than rhetoric and posturing. The 26th Conference of Parties (COP 26) to be held...read more
Climate finance matters for COP 26
01 Nov 2021 ~ David Christianson
At the Conference of Parties held in Copenhagen in 2009 (COP 15), 23 developed countries pledged to commit a total of US$100 billion per year to finance measures to deal with climate chang...read more
Is a positive outcome on trade-distorting subsidies possible at the Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12)?
01 Nov 2021 ~ Kedibone Machiu, Mpho Leseka, Noncedo Vutula, Thembekile Mlangeni
As the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is gearing up for the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in November/December 2021, an outcome in the agriculture negotiations is high on the agenda. ...read more
Dirty Money in domestic Economies and some of the Consequences
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
Financial services is one of the priority sectors on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Trade in Services agenda. The financial services sector plays a critical role in national ...read more
South Africa bans the use of imported cement on government-funded projects
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
The South African Government has banned the use of imported cement in state-awarded contracts. Bidders for state projects will only have their offers considered if they agree to source all...read more
What lies ahead for the AfCFTA Trade Remedies and Safeguards Regime?
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
The legal instruments of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provide for a detailed regime to implement Trade Remedy and Safeguard measures. There are four provisions in the A...read more
Making the AfCFTA work: Some additional Requirements
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
States have jurisdiction over their territories. They control the movement of goods, services, capital, and persons across borders. But no country can prosper in isolation. Trade agreement...read more
International Court rules on the Maritime Boundary between Kenya and Somalia
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
In 1829, the English adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh wrote:
“For whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of ...read more
Regional Economic Communities have unique Features and different Functions
01 Nov 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is generating a new awareness of and an interest in the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). They are expected to play a role in achieving...read more
The AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism as part of a continental Trade Regime
05 Oct 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
Article 20 of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Founding Agreement provides for a Dispute Settlement Mechanism as part of the overall AfCFTA design. It reads:
A Dispute...read more
The Institutions of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the AfCFTA
05 Oct 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
The implementation of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is governed by a dedicated Protocol, the Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the ...read more
How will Rulings regarding AfCFTA Disputes be implemented?
05 Oct 2021 ~ Gerhard Erasmus
Disputes declared in terms of the AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Protocol can be settled during the consultation phase, which comes first and is compulsory. Article 7 of the AfCFTA Dispute Sett...read more
WTO fisheries negotiations – A few but tough issues to resolve ahead of November 2021 Ministerial Conference (MC12)
28 Sep 2021 ~ Kedibone Machiu, Mpho Leseka, Noncedo Vutula, Thembekile Mlangeni
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) held a ministerial meeting on 15 July 2021 to discuss the progress of the fisheries subsidies negotiations. The discussions emphasised that the current n...read more
Improving the Business and Investment Climate in Africa – Why and How?
24 Sep 2021 ~ John Stuart
The ‘cost of capital’ refers to the rate of return required by lenders of capital or investors, in order to incentivise them to provide capital to business ventures. Developing economi...read more
The benefits of trade facilitation measures: the Kazungula bridge project
07 Sep 2021 ~ Edina Moyo Mudzingwa
The Kazungula Bridge, located on Zambezi River where Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia borders interconnect, was identified as a significant connector on a strategic road network for ...read more
The WTO is getting ready for the 12th Ministerial Conference
02 Sep 2021 ~ Kedibone Machiu, Mpho Leseka, Noncedo Vutula, Thembekile Mlangeni
The World Trading System is back on the agenda. Trade ministers from around the world met in Geneva, Switzerland, in July, to review the progress in fisheries negotiations in preparation f...read more
Transforming African Trade Corridors for the Future: What Are the Key Priority Areas?
24 Aug 2021 ~ Etiyel Chibira
Africa must prioritise the transformation of key trade corridors which connect the Regional Economic Communities (REC) if indeed the continent is to reap the full potential of the African ...read more
Leveraging Technology to Improve Regulatory Compliance and Trade Efficiency: A Focus on Road Transport
24 Aug 2021 ~ Etiyel Chibira
Road transport is an important mode for Africa’s trade, carrying over 90% of intra-regional and regional trade (Afreximbank: 2019). This is likely to continue into the future in the abse...read more
Improving Customs Efficiency: What are the Gains and For Whom?
24 Aug 2021 ~ Etiyel Chibira
It is imperative for Africa to transform its customs environment through fast-tracking implementation of interventions geared towards eliminating inefficiencies, if the continent is to mak...read more
Improving Border Efficiency in sub-Saharan Africa: The Need to Look at ‘Beyond the Border’ Operations
24 Aug 2021 ~ Etiyel Chibira
Border posts are one of the most important nodes whose performance has a significant bearing on corridor performance, efficiency of supply chains and trade competitiveness. In sub-Saharan ...read more
Harnessing the potential of the AfCFTA
05 Aug 2021 ~ Miracle Okoro
Introduction: The Potential of the AfCFTA
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement has been described as the continent’s most ambitious regional integration initi...read more
Unrest in South Africa: food security and supply chain responses
05 Aug 2021 ~ David Christianson
When South Africa’s most recent spate of civil unrest, triggered when former President Jacob Zuma handed himself over to the Correctional Services facility in Estcourt in KwaZulu Natal, ...read more
Gender-Responsiveness in Trade Agreements – how does the AfCFTA fare?
30 Jul 2021 ~ Lolita Laperle-Forget
Gender mainstreaming in free trade agreements is becoming an increasingly common practice.[1] This involves including provisions to address the specific needs of women and implementing agr...read more