tralac is closely monitoring trade-related policy measures and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic adopted and implemented by African countries and beyond. Below is a selection of useful resources, analyses, news items and publications particularly relevant for trade and related developments on the African continent. This webpage is updated regularly to facilitate information-sharing and dissemination.

Page contents

• tralac Policy trackers

• Policy monitoring tools

• WTO resources

• In the news

• tralac Blog

• tralac Publications

• COVID-19 in Africa: trade-related resources

• Additional resources

COVID-19 Trade and trade-related measures

Africa

African countries have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through the adoption of various trade and trade-related measures in an effort to contain the economic impact of the crisis. To monitor the situation and encourage the sharing of information, tralac has prepared a list of these measures, which is updated regularly from official sources.

To date, tralac’s country policy tracker covers COVID-19 trade and related measures for 39 African countries. In addition, tralac has a regional policy monitor covering the regional economic communities (RECs) and the African Union.

Recently-added resources

• pdf COVID-19 Measures in Place in COMESA Member States: 32nd Edition - 4 December 2020 (1.95 MB)

• pdf Implications of COVID 19 Pandemic on Debt for Sub-Saharan African Countries - COMESA Special Report, December 2020 (519 KB)

• pdf How COMESA Can Mitigate Negative Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on Trade - COMESA Special Report, November 2020 (322 KB)

• pdf Disruption to essential health services in Africa during COVID-19 - PERC November 2020 (1.11 MB)

• pdf SADC Regional Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: Bulletin No. 14 - October 2020 (5.86 MB)

• pdf Pulse Check: Trade Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19 - October 2020 (1.23 MB)

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Policy monitoring tools

For information and resources relevant to Africa on the pandemic:

• Milken Institute COVID-19 Africa Watch: African Policy Monitor

• Official UN Regional COVID-19 Knowledge Hub for Africa

• TIPS Tracker: The economy and the pandemic

Additional online tools monitoring policy responses to COVID-19:

• IMF COVID-19 Policy Tracker

• ITC MacMap COVID-19 Temporary Trade Measures page

• World Bank COVID-19 Trade Policy Database: Food and Medical Products

• World Bank Database on COVID-19 Trade Flows and Policies

• WCO’s COVID-19 dedicated page

• Observatory on Border Crossings Status due to COVID-19

• COVID-19 Trade Facilitation Resource Repository

• Global Trade Alert’s 21st Century Tracking of Pandemic-Era Trade Policies in Food and Medical Products

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Global monitoring by the WTO

The WTO Secretariat is monitoring member countries’ notifications on COVID-19. The list is an informal situation report and an attempt to provide transparency with respect to trade and trade-related measures taken in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.

• COVID-19: Support measures

• Trade and trade-related measures (goods)

• Measures affecting trade in services

• Intellectual property measures

Information Notes from the WTO Secretariat

• pdf Future resilience to diseases of animal origin: The role of trade (187 KB) - 3 November 2020

• pdf The TRIPS Agreement and COVID-19 (233 KB)  - 15 October 2020

• pdf How WTO members have used trade measures to expedite access to COVID-19 critical medical goods and services (277 KB)  - 18 September 2020

• pdf COVID-19 and agriculture: A story of resilience (764 KB) - 26 August 2020

• pdf Cross-border mobility, COVID-19 and global trade (399 KB) - 25 August 2020

• pdf Trade costs in the time of global pandemic (813 KB) - 12 August 2020

• pdf The economic impact of COVID-19 on women in vulnerable sectors and economies (319 KB)  - 3 August 2020

• pdf The COVID-19 pandemic and trade related developments in LDCs (451 KB) - 8 June 2020

• pdf Helping MSMEs navigate the COVID-19 crisis (254 KB) - 3 June 2020

• pdf Trade in services in the context of COVID-19 (270 KB) - 28 May 2020

• pdf Standards, regulations and COVID-19: What actions taken by WTO members? (239 KB) - 20 May 2020

• pdf E-commerce, trade and the COVID-19 pandemic (150 KB)  - 4 May 2020

• pdf The treatment of medical products in regional trade agreements (799 KB)  - 27 April 2020

• pdf Export prohibitions and restrictions (321 KB)  - 23 April 2020

• pdf Transparency – why it matters at times of crisis (139 KB)  - 7 April 2020

• pdf Trade in medical goods in the context of tackling COVID-19 (611 KB) - 3 April 2020

Members’ proposals on COVID-19

• pdf COVID-19 and beyond: Trade and health (101 KB) - 24 November 2020

• pdf Waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19: Communication from India and South Africa (133 KB) - 2 October 2020

• pdf Supporting the timely and efficient release of global goods through accelerated implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: Communication (74 KB)  - 1 October 2020

• pdf Ottawa Group: Trade facilitation measures taken in response to COVID-19 (342 KB) - 29 September 2020

• pdf Statement on COVID-19 and the multilateral trading system by ministers responsible for the WTO (revision) (68 KB) - 30 July 2020

• pdf COVID-19 initiative: Protecting global food security through open trade (revision) (87 KB)  - 26 June 2020

• pdf African Group Statement on the Implications of COVID-19 (78 KB) - 25 June 2020

• pdf June 2020 statement of the Ottawa Group: Focusing action on COVID-19 (96 KB) - 16 June 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Measures related to trade in goods: Communication (53 KB)  - 4 June 2020

• pdf Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with open and predictable trade in agricultural and food products (revision) (78 KB) - 28 May 2020

• pdf Statement on highlighting the importance of MSMEs in the time of COVID-19 (revision) (66 KB)  - 25 May 2020

• pdf G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting: Ministerial Statement (131 KB)  - 14 May 2020

• pdf Joint Ministerial Statement on action plans to facilitate the flow of goods and services as well as the essential movement of people (92 KB)  - 12 May 2020

• pdf Joint Ministerial Statement on COVID-19 and the multilateral trading system (58 KB) - 5 May 2020

• pdf Securing LDCs’ emergency access to essential medical and food products to combat the COVID-19 pandemic (171 KB) - 4 May 2020

In the news

F15 Ministers, Special Envoys for mobilization of international COVID-19 support - 26 Oct 2020

World Bank confirms economic downturn in sub-Saharan Africa, outlines key polices needed for recovery - 9 Oct 2020

G20 debt service suspension initiative applications rose to 46 countries to date - 29 Sep 2020

On the tralac Blog

Africa’s COVID-19 medical supplies trade: January-June 2020

Juliette Armelle Kouamo - 24 November 2020

South Africa’s PPE shortage – what can we learn?

David Christianson - 14 Oct 2020

National and regional perspectives and responses on the impact of COVID-19 on cross-border trade and Customs border management – what are we learning?

Rwatida Mafurutu - 12 Oct 2020

Effects of the COVID-19 Measures on Trade Facilitation in SADC

Innocent Muranganwa - 12 Oct 2020

COVID-19 Control Measures in SADC – Striking a balance between control and Trade Facilitation

Innocent Muranganwa - 12 Oct 2020

South Africa’s July 2020 trade data – exports recover while imports remain below 2019 levels

Willemien Viljoen - 05 Sep 2020

tralac Publications

Completing and Implementing the AfCFTA in difficult times

Gerhard Erasmus and Trudi Hartzenberg - 29 Jul 2020

COVID-19: Trade and related measures and responses in Africa

Rwatida Mafurutu and Talkmore Chidede - 25 May 2020

IMF Emergency Funding in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic

Gavin van der Nest - 14 May 2020

Governance in abnormal times – dealing with COVID-19: A regional perspective from South Africa

Gerhard Erasmus and Trudi Hartzenberg - 13 May 2020

COVID-19 and the legal Measures employed to deal with the Crisis

Gerhard Erasmus - 06 Apr 2020

COVID-19 in Africa: Trade-related resources

• pdf Africa’s Pulse: Charting the road to recovery (5.66 MB)  - World Bank, October 2020

• pdf Pulse Check: Trade Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19 (1.23 MB) - October 2020

• pdf Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and migrant remittances: Protecting an economic lifeline (1.67 MB) - UNECA/ONE, September 2020

• pdf Harnessing Innovation and Emerging Technologies to Address the Impact of COVID-19 in Africa (2.22 MB) - AUDA-NEPAD, August 2020

• pdf Facilitating Cross-Border Trade Through a Coordinated African Response to COVID-19 (2.16 MB) - UNECA, August 2020

• pdf Africa trade and Covid‑19: The supply chain dimension (404 KB) - ODI ATPC Working Paper, August 2020

• pdf Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Africa’s Economic Development (2.18 MB) - UNCTAD, July 2020

• pdf Transformative policy solutions to support women-led businesses in Africa in a post COVID-19 world (1008 KB) - Policy Brief by Efe Ukala (ImpactHER), Elena Ruiz Abril (UN Women), Esther Dassanou (AfDB), July 2020

• pdf Feed Africa Response to Covid 19 (1.10 MB) - AfDB Brief, July 2020

• pdf The impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s energy sector and the role of RE to empower a long term and sustainable recovery (1.16 MB)  - Res4Africa, June 2020

• pdf ‘Not a Good Time’: Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Africa (978 KB) - AfDB Working Paper, June 2020

• pdf COVID-19 in African cities: Impacts, Responses and Policies (1.65 MB) - Published by UN-HABITAT, UNCDF, UCLG-A Africa and UNECA, June 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Crisis in North Africa: The Impact and Mitigation Responses (1.01 MB) - UNECA, June 2020

• pdf Socio-Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Southern Africa (1.29 MB) - UNECA, May 2020

• pdf Economic Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on East African Economies (2.00 MB) - Deloitte, May 2020

• pdf The impact of COVID-19 on African Oil Sector: A special report by AFREC on the implications on African Countries (422 KB) - May 2020

• pdf Informal traders: A balancing act of survival (495 KB) - ATPC Policy Brief, May 2020

• pdf Covid-19 and Export Restrictions: the Limits of International Trade Law and Lessons for the AfCFTA (244 KB)  - ATPC Policy Brief, May 2020

• pdf Impact of COVID-19 in Africa (1.27 MB) - UN Policy Brief, May 2020

• pdf How much will poverty rise in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020? (626 KB)  - World Bank Poverty and Equity Note, May 2020

• pdf Responding to COVID-19 in Africa: Using Data to Find a Balance (930 KB) - PERC, May 2020

• pdf How COVID-19 is changing the world: A statistical perspective (8.70 MB) - CCSA, May 2020

• pdf Insights on African businesses’ reactions and outlook to COVID-19 (962 KB) - ECA and ICE, 30 April 2020

• pdf COVID-19 in Africa: Alternative to Current Confinement Approaches (2.27 MB) - AUDA-NEPAD, April 2020

• pdf The African Development Bank Group’s Covid-19 Rapid Response Facility (1.01 MB) - April 2020

• pdf Will COVID-19 Derail AfCFTA Start of Trading? Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations by AfroChampions (2.97 MB) - April 2020

• pdf Saving Africa’s private sector jobs during the coronavirus pandemic (434 KB) - Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf Measures for supporting domestic markets during the COVID-19 outbreak in Africa (206 KB) - FAO/AU brief, April 2020

• pdf Intra-African trade, the African Continental Free Trade Area and the COVID-19 pandemic (365 KB) - FAO/AU brief, April 2020

• pdf Safeguarding input supply chains for small scale agricultural producers in the context of COVID-19 in Africa (293 KB) - FAO/AU brief, April 2020

• pdf COVID-19 in Africa: Alternative to Current Confinement Approaches (2.27 MB) - AUDA-NEPAD, April 2020

• pdf Africa’s Response to COVID-19: Key Messages for IMF and WBG Meetings (592 KB) - UNECA, April 2020

• pdf AUDA-NEPAD and COVID-19 Response to Food Insecurity and Malnutrition, Volume 2 (1.70 MB) - 15 April 2020

• pdf The Impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s Trade and Integration: Commentary by Trudi Hartzenberg (794 KB) - ISPI (Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale), 9 April 2020

• pdf Africa’s Pulse: Assessing the economic impact of COVID-19 and policy responses in Sub-Saharan Africa (2.99 MB)  - World Bank, April 2020

• pdf Trade Responses to the COVID-19 Crisis in Africa (277 KB)  - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, April 2020

• pdf Impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the African Economy (1.01 MB) - African Union Report, April 2020

• pdf Trade Policies for Africa to Tackle Covid-19 (1.20 MB) - ATPC Briefing Paper, 27 March 2020

• pdf Report on African Ministers of Finance Meeting: Emergency Request to the international Community on COVID-19 Response (341 KB) - 22 March 2020

• Virtual Conference on COVID-19 Impact on Africa - 19 March 2020

  • pdf COVID-19 pandemic impact on Southern Africa (407 KB)

  • pdf Impact Assessment of Covid-19 - The Case of Eastern Africa (1.41 MB)

  • pdf Economic Effects of the COVID-19 on Central Africa (512 KB)

  • pdf Potential socio-economic impacts of Coronavirus on West Africa (1.60 MB)

  • pdf COVID-19 update - North Africa (258 KB)

Additional resources

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 9: 29 January 2021 (956 KB)  - World Bank

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 8: 30 November 2020 (1.77 MB)  - World Bank

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 7: 31 October 2020 (878 KB)  - World Bank

• pdf Phase II: COVID-19 Crisis through a Migration Lens (1.33 MB) - World Bank Migration and Development Brief 33, October 2020

• pdf The long term impact of COVID 19 on poverty (370 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, October 2020

• pdf Integrated national financing frameworks build back better (735 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, October 2020

• pdf A Pandemic Trade Deal: Trade and Policy Cooperation on Medical Goods (3.82 MB) - World Bank, September 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 6: 30 September 2020 (2.28 MB)  - World Bank

• pdf Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond (2.30 MB) - UN Policy Brief, September 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions: A Global Review for Tourism (1.33 MB) - UNWTO Seventh Report as of 10 September 2020

• pdf Digital Technology in Social Assistance Transfers for COVID-19 Relief: Lessons from Selected Cases (636 KB) - CGD Policy Paper, September 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 5: 31 August 2020 (966 KB)  - World Bank

• pdf COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism (832 KB) - UN Policy Brief, August 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 4: 31 July 2020 (3.19 MB)  - World Bank

• pdf COVID-19 and Tourism: Assessing the Economic Consequences (3.64 MB) - UNCTAD, July 2020

• pdf Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation, 2nd edition: Intersections between public health, intellectual property and trade (9.02 MB) - Joint WHO-WIPO-WTO Publication, July 2020

• pdf G20 Surveillance Note: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Virtual Meeting (712 KB)  - IMF, 18 July 2020

• pdf Implementation of the G20 Action Plan (511 KB) - IMF, July 2020

• pdf Global Productivity: Trends, Drivers and Policies (Advance Edition) (27.55 MB) - World Bank, July 2020

• pdf Post-COVID-19: Investment Promotion Agencies and the "New Normal" (3.12 MB) - UNCTAD, July 2020

• pdf Trade Financing and COVID-19: Joint WTO, ICC and B20 Statement (176 KB) - July 2020

• pdf Diverging inflation rates suggest new risks - World Economic Situation And Prospects: July 2020 Briefing (388 KB)  - UN DESA

• pdf Joint Statement by heads of multilateral development banks and the WTO on supporting trade finance during the COVID-19 crisis (479 KB) - 1 July 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 3: 29 June 2020 (947 KB) - World Bank

• pdf Cross-Regional Statement on “Infodemic” in the Context of COVID-19 (700 KB) - June 2020

• pdf The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition (1.49 MB) - UN Policy Brief, June 2020

• pdf COVID-19 poses grievous economic challenge to landlocked developing countries (542 KB)  - UN DESA Policy Brief, June 2020

• pdf Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance Statement of Action: COVID-19 and Beyond - Response and Recovery (132 KB) - 10 June 2020

• pdf IMO-UNCTAD: Joint Statement in support of keeping ships moving, ports open and cross-border trade flowing during the COVID-19 pandemic (95 KB) - 8 June 2020

• pdf Joint Call for Smooth Transit and Transport Facilitation To and From LLDCs (474 KB) - United Nations, 8 June 2020

• pdf The pandemic hits emerging economies - World Economic Situation And Prospects: June 2020 Briefing (430 KB) - UN DESA

• pdf COVID-19 and sovereign debt (540 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, May 2020

• pdf What Customs can do to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Highlights of WCO Members’ Practices (4th edition) (1.15 MB)  - 29 May 2020

• pdf Compendium of resources on trade in times of crisis and pandemic: Version 1.0 (1.14 MB) - United Nations ESCAP, May 2020

• pdf COVID-19 pandemic deals a huge blow to the manufacturing exports from LDCs (539 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, May 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch No. 2: 29 May 2020 (1.31 MB)  - World Bank

• pdf Streamlining Technical Measures on Medical Products to Combat COVID-19 (271 KB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, May 2020

• pdf Covid-19 and Food Protectionism: The Impact of the Pandemic and Export Restrictions on World Food Markets (2.29 MB) - World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, May 2020

• pdf World Seaborne Trade in Real Time: A Proof of Concept for Building AIS based Nowcasts from Scratch (916 KB)  - IMF, May 2020

• pdf Recommendations to Leverage E-Commerce During the COVID-19 Crisis (285 KB)  - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, May 2020

• pdf Facilitating Air Freight – Policies and Actions (386 KB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, May 2020

• pdf Health Services Trade and the COVID-19 Pandemic (1.49 MB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, May 2020

• pdf Logistics and Freight Services: Policies to Facilitate Trade (407 KB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, May 2020

• pdf Global Trade Cooperation after COVID-19: Can the G20 Contain Disintegration (401 KB) - IIT Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf How countries can leverage trade facilitation to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic (695 KB) - UNCTAD, April 2020

• pdf The COVID-19 Crisis: Accentuating the Need to Bridge Digital Divides (1.69 MB) - UNCTAD, April 2020

• pdf The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Blue Economy (2.41 MB) - UNCTAD, April 2020

• pdf Competition and Consumer Protection in the time of COVID-19 (1.64 MB) - UNCTAD Newsletter April 2020

• pdf COVID-19: A 10-point action plan to strengthen international trade and transport facilitation in times of pandemic (1.15 MB) - UNCTAD Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf Trade Facilitation Best Practices Implemented in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (174 KB)  - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, April 2020

• pdf COVID-19 Trade Watch: 16 April 2020 (792 KB)  - World Bank

• pdf Commodity exporters face mounting economic challenges as pandemic spreads (447 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf COVID-19: Embracing digital government during the pandemic and beyond (369 KB) - UN DESA Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf The impact of COVID-19 on women (691 KB) - UN Policy Brief, April 2020

• pdf Communiqué: G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting (218 KB) - 15 April 2020

• pdf IMO-WCO Joint Statement on the Integrity of the Global Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic (253 KB) - 15 April 2020

• pdf Statement on the Trade Policy Response to Covid-19: A Call for Urgent OECD Action (239 KB) - 7 April 2020

• pdf WCO-WTO Joint Statement on COVID-19-related trade measures (51 KB) - 6 April 2020

• pdf The Potential Impact of COVID-19 on GDP and Trade (1.28 MB) - World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, April 2020

• pdf Adapting the use of Asycuda World to the Covid-19 Situation: Guidelines to Customs Administrations (965 KB) - UNCTAD, April 2020

• pdf Impact of COVID-19 on informal workers (1.25 MB) - FAO, 7 April 2020

• pdf IMO Circular Letter: Preliminary list of recommendations for Governments and relevant national authorities on the facilitation of maritime trade during the COVID-19 pandemic (147 KB) - 27 March 2020

• pdf Tackling COVID-19 Together: The Trade Policy Dimension (3.06 MB) - Global Trade Alert, 23 March 2020

• pdf Managing Risk and Facilitating Trade in the COVID-19 Pandemic (176 KB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, March 2020

• pdf Do’s and Don’ts of Trade Policy in the Response to COVID-19  (109 KB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, March 2020

• pdf Trade in Critical Covid-19 Products (3.20 MB) - World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note, March 2020

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tralac is monitoring trade-related policy responses to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). For all of us, both now and post-COVID-19, a fundamental recalibration of purpose, values, community and the nature of collective action is required. COVID-19 is a reminder that many 21st century challenges, including climate change, transcend national borders. While national responses are necessary, they are not sufficient. Hopefully COVID-19 will help us to reinvent multilateralism.

In the news

UN calls for $2.5 trillion coronavirus crisis package for developing countries - 31 Mar 2020

Communiqué of the Bureau of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government Teleconference on COVID-19 - 30 Mar 2020

Three things the G20 must do to support Africa in COVID-19 Pandemic - 26 Mar 2020

Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit Statement on COVID-19 - 26 Mar 2020

Media Briefing on COVID-19 – Remarks by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel - 26 Mar 2020

World Bank Group increases COVID-19 response to $14 billion to help sustain economies, protect jobs - 24 Mar 2020

On the tralac Blog

Willemien Viljoen

Trudi Hartzenberg

Talkmore Chidede

Publications

Resources

pdf COMESA Report: Why Africa Must Brace Itself for Devastating Secondary Effects of the COVID-19 (March 2020) (511 KB)

pdf Do’s and Don’ts of Trade Policy in the Response to COVID-19 (109 KB) : World Bank Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note

pdf Trade in Critical Covid-19 Products (3.20 MB) : World Bank Trade and VODI-19 Guidance Note