The Saana Institute, InterAnalysis Ltd. (TradeSift software), Centre for the Analysis of Regional Integration at Sussex (CARIS) at the University of Sussex and the Trade Law Centre (tralac) are happy to announce the winner of the 2015 Africa Trade Essay Competition.

The winner of the competition is Ms Ifeoluwa Ogunbufunmi, a fourth year Law student at the University of Lagos in Nigeria, for her essay on how the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) can make the biggest contribution to boosting inter-African trade and respond to Africa’s economic development challenges and opportunities.

Apart from the cash prize of USD 1,000, Ms Ogunbufunmi presented her essay during the Trade and Development Symposium (TDS) taking place alongside the WTO 10^th Ministerial Conference at the Hilton Nairobi, where she was accompanied by the Dean of her faculty. Ms Ogunbufunmi’s essay will also be published by tralac.

The judges commented:

“Includes some very practical suggestions for broader stakeholder involvement in the TFTA and CFTA negotiations to shape outcomes that address fundamental development challenges.”

“The author recognises that these agreements are not ends in themselves but means to addressing development challenges.”

Second place goes to Ms Rutendo Tavengerwei, a Zimbabwean 4^th year Law student with the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg in South Africa who will receive USD 750.

The five shortlisted candidates, all deemed highly commendable entries, will receive book sets on the CFTA, TFTA and broader African regional integration issues from tralac for their essays.

The judging panel consisted of:

• Mr Tom Pengelly - Co-Founder and Managing Director of Saana Consulting and Team Leader of the DFID Trade Advocacy Fund;

• Professor Jim Rollo - Professor Emeritus of European Economic Integration at Sussex University and an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for the Analysis of Regional Integration (CARIS) at Sussex. He is also Co-Founder and Finance Director of InterAnalysis Ltd;

• Ms Trudi Hartzenberg - Executive Director of tralac;

• Mr Stephen Karingi - Director for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) division of Regional Integration and Trade; and

• Mr Dominique Njinkeu - Lead Trade Facilitation Specialist and Program Coordinator of the Trade Facilitation Facility at the World Bank

Saana Institute, tralac, InterAnalysis Ltd (TradeSift) and CARIS would like to thank Mr Karingi and Mr Nijnkeu for participating in the judging panel.