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- Title
Eliminating Non-tariff Barriers in the African Continental Free Trade Area: Lessons and Experiences from African Regional Economic Communities.
- Authors
Vhumbunu, Clayton Hazvinei; Rudigi, Joseph Rukema
- Abstract
This paper assessed the efficacy of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Online Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) Reporting, Monitoring and Eliminating Mechanism which was introduced to manage, resolve and eliminate non-tariff barriers encountered by African countries when trading within the AfCFTA. The AfCFTA - adopted by the African Union (AU) member states in March 2018 in Rwanda - seeks to sustainably transform Africa by enhancing intra-African trade, industrialisation and promote the free movement of people on the continent. While trade in goods under the AfCFTA commenced on 1 January 2021, the prevalence and proliferation of several non-tariff barriers to trade have potential to frustrate efforts to enhance intra-African trade and reduce the cost of doing business in Africa, as has been proven under regional economic communities (RECs) on the continent. This paper used primary data from RECs NTBs portals and secondary data from reported NTBs in African RECs to analyse and identify concrete valuable lessons from experiences of RECs that will assist to strengthen the efficacy and operational efficiency of the AfCFTA Online Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) Reporting, Monitoring and Eliminating Mechanism. Findings from the research show that existing mechanisms to eliminate non-tariff barriers may be replicated at the AfCFTA level if not proactively prevented and prudently managed. These include unnecessary delays in resolving reported non-tariff barriers; weak compliance enforcement mechanisms; absence of deterrent and dissuasive sanctionary measures to discourage member states from introducing new non-tariff barriers; personnel capacity deficiencies and coordination challenges among implementing units; low levels of awareness of non-tariff barriers reporting and elimination mechanisms by traders and government agencies; and nonharmonisation of NTMs across regional economic communities which ultimately present themselves as non-tariff barriers.
- Subjects
RWANDA; AFRICA; CUSTOMS unions; AFRICAN Union; NONTARIFF trade barriers; COMMUNITIES; GOVERNMENT agencies
- Publication
Journal of African Foreign Affairs, 2021, Vol 8, Issue 2, p129
- ISSN
2056-564X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.31920/2056-5658/2021/v8n2a7