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  1. Negotiations

Africa

Bilateral deal-making involving governments of Africa.

photo: World Bank/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Free trade agreements least favoured Ghana
20-Oct-2017 Modern Ghana
Ghana has benefitted little from free trade agreements it has signed over the last decade. The development has also contributed to widening the country’s trade deficit recorded over the period.
Africa-US AGOA trade talks end with no decision, waning enthusiasm
12-Aug-2017 Reuters
It is not clear whether the U.S. wants to change the AGOA deal before it expires in 2025 or extend it further - no decision was made on either count.
Lighthizer pushes for ‘greater reciprocity’ with AGOA nations
10-Aug-2017 Politico
A more balanced trading relationship is vital in order to maintain support in Congress for AGOA, which allows for duty-free treatment of goods from eligible Sub-Saharan African countries, Lighthizer said.
Trump administration’s Africa policy in focus at AGOA trade talks
8-Aug-2017 Reuters
With the Trump administration’s trade agenda focused on reining in China and renegotiating the North American Free Trade agreement, Africa has barely appeared on the radar screen.
Nigeria says Ecowas studying ramifications of Morocco membership
25-Jul-2017 Bloomberg
Several Nigerian lobby groups, including an organization of retired ambassadors, are putting pressure on the Nigerian government to reject the application because of the decades-old dispute over Western Sahara and Morocco’s geographical distance.
UK, SACU commit to trade relations despite looming Brexit
24-Jul-2017 Southern African News
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to continue trading with SADC EPA countries under the current trade arrangement despite its withdrawal from the European Union (EU).
Rwanda needs its own Bilateral Investment Treaty model
5-Jul-2017 The New Times
If Rwanda clings to BIT approach, its scope should be limited. Alternatively, it can embark on a more attractive investment climate in lieu of BITs.
Kenya to review trade agreements to boost exports
21-Jun-2017 Xinhua
Kenya is currently reviewing all its bilateral trade agreements it has signed with other countries with a view to enhancing exports, officials said.
Ross: African countries face ‘critical question’
16-Jun-2017 Politico
US Commerce Secretary delivered a tough message to African countries, urging them to strike bilateral trade deals with the United States and warning that the Trump administration would closely monitor their compliance with eligibility rules under the African Growth and Opportunity Act
Nigeria and Morocco move towards a “new generation” of bilateral investment treaties
16-May-2017 EJIL: Talk!
The treaty is an important attempt by two developing countries to move toward a new generation of BITs fully aligned with the evolution of international law.

    Links

  • African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) legal texts and policy documents
    Tralac’s page on the African Continental Free Trade Area
  • SEATINI Uganda
    The Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) is a regional non-governmental organization founded in 1996 soon after the WTO Singapore Ministerial Conference — mainly focusing on WTO, but also bilateral and regional trade negotiations in Africa.
  • SEATINI Zimbabwe
    The Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) is an African initiative to strengthen Africa’s capacity to take a more effective part in the emerging global trading system and to better manage the process of globalization.