On the 26th of November this year, Senior Researcher Robert Lodde held a presentation in Bologna on the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Agreement). The lecture was part of a series of presentations as part of the Jean Monnet Re-Globe Seminar Cycle “EU Trade Policy,
Sustainability, and Private Parties” by the university of Bologna.

The Seminar Cycle dealt with the challenges that economic operators face because of the new EU autonomous measures and legislation based on the concept of human rights due diligence  and the role private parties can play in the definition and enforcement of the EU trade policy tools.

Robert Lodde explained the origin and the purpose of the AfCFTA. Therefore he compared the approach of the AfCFTA to the Single Market and Customs Union of the European Union and shed a light on the future of the agreement and the associated vision 2063 project. Further he gave an overview on the various trade instruments and measures that come with the implementation of AfCFTA.

Mr. Lodde continued his presentation by pointing out general challenges in intra-african trade that AfCFTA tries to face, i.e. non tariff barriers such as administrative burdens. To this end he also addressed the challenges arising from politically unstable situations and deficits in infrastructure. In this context he illustrated the paradox economic phenomenon of the “resource curse” – nations rich of natural resources (gas, oil etc.) are often economic weaker than those without – and how an FTA can address this problem.

The next part of the lecture covered the role of multinatonal, middle and small enterprises in african trade and their ability to enforce social and environemental standards in cooperation with governements. Finally, he turned his attention to informal trade in Africa, which is not recorded by the authorities.

At the end of the presentation, Mr. Lodde gave an outlook on the possibilities that can still be realised through AfCFTA, although the FTA has not yet been ratified by all parties.

You can download the presentation of Mr. Lodde by clicking on this link. The poster of the seminar is available under this link.