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# Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity

IATP

## Sitemaps

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## Posts

- [Nigeria's Battle of Ideas is 'More than Just Abstract'](https://theiatp.org/2026/07/08/nigerias-battle-of-ideas-is-more-than-just-abstract/) - There are places where the battle of ideas is more than just abstract. Northern Nigeria is one of them. Terrorism, criminality, and a harsh climate have made development and prosperity in the region extremely thin. For many young people in the region, instability, weak institutions, unemployment, and mistrust are more than just concepts because they
- [IATP Attends Africa Liberty Forum](https://theiatp.org/2026/08/08/iatp-attends-africa-liberty-forum/) - Last week, we were delighted to attend Atlas Network’s Africa Liberty Forum in Accra, Ghana. Events that bring so much of the African freedom movement together are rare, and it is always worthwhile to take those opportunities to discuss ongoing and future projects in-person with partners across the continent. The trip also gave us an
- [Nigerian Trade 'At a Defining Moment'](https://theiatp.org/2026/05/06/nigerian-trade-at-a-defining-moment/) - Trade in Nigeria is at a defining moment. Our markets are busy, our entrepreneurs are resilient. Yet beneath this activity sits a difficult truth: Nigeria is still not connecting to regional and global markets at the level its economy demands. In 2025, Nigeria recorded over ?70 trillion (just over $51 billion) in total trade. But
- [Starlink Could be a ‘Game Changer’ for Africa’s Liberty Movement](https://theiatp.org/2026/04/02/starlink-could-be-a-game-changer-for-africas-liberty-movement/) - Last month, we were delighted to award the inaugural round of Whetstone Connectivity Fund (WCF) grants. The fund is named after Linda Whetstone, the indefatigable advocate for liberty who inspired and laid the groundwork for much of the work we continue today. This new initiative was designed to address a real challenge: many of our partners struggle to
- [Advancing Freedom in Uganda 'Remains Worth It'](https://theiatp.org/2026/03/02/advancing-freedom-in-uganda-remains-worth-it/) - In recent weeks, many of you have reached out with concern following the attack on my home in Entebbe. The threats on my life and family began after I spoke out against injustices, including arresting journalists, detaining dissidents, and shutting down the internet prior to Uganda’s recent elections. What occurred on the 17th, 18th, and
- [East and West African Trade Blocs Show What Success and Failure Looks Like for AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2026/01/15/east-and-west-african-trade-blocs-show-what-success-and-failure-looks-like-for-afcfta/) - The contrast between the Kenya–Tanzania and Mali–Burkina Faso borders demonstrates that AfCFTA is neither self-executing nor immune to political shocks.
- [What Zambia's Soweto Market Shows About Trade and Trust](https://theiatp.org/2026/01/13/what-zambias-soweto-market-shows-about-trade-and-trust/) - Every morning before sunrise, the tin roofs of Soweto Market rattle awake with activity. The scent of dried fish, the clatter of wheelbarrows, and the buzz of bargaining voices all signal something deeper than commerce, a lesson in economic philosophy in motion. This chaotic, colourful environment of Lusaka shows more about how people trade and
- [Decentralisation Can Boost Nigeria's Development](https://theiatp.org/2026/01/13/decentralisation-can-boost-nigerias-development/) - Local Governments' Financial Autonomy Could Be a New Dawn for Grassroot Development For decades, Nigeria’s local governments remained in the shackles of state governments control, perpetuating inefficiency and disempowering the grassroots. But on 11 July last year, Nigeria’s apex court—the Supreme Court of Nigeria— ordered state governments to refrain from tampering with the Local Governments’ funds. No doubt, this
- [Empty Offices and Broken Promises](https://theiatp.org/2026/01/11/empty-offices-and-broken-promises/) - Abandoned by Government, Adamawa Community Survives on Hope and Private Boreholes. Every morning, in Badirisa, a community in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa state, 40-year-old Aminat Danjuma and her three children are at their neighbours’ houses, knocking on their doors for water. They are barefoot on cracked earth with empty plastic jerrycans clutched on
- [The Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on the DRC](https://theiatp.org/2025/09/18/the-impact-of-trumps-tariffs-on-the-drc/) - RDPI DRC Founder Aristote Mugisho outlines the key impacts of Trump's tariffs on the Democratic Republic of Congo and recommends several steps to mitigate them.
- [The Brussels Effect in South African Public Policy: An Imperialism of Expedience?](https://theiatp.org/2025/09/02/the-brussels-effect-in-south-african-public-policy-an-imperialism-of-expedience/) - New research shows how the EU has exported growth-killing regulations to South Africa.
- [A Case Against Wealth Taxes](https://theiatp.org/2025/09/15/a-case-against-wealth-taxes/) - The IATP has contributed to the G20's T20 warning that wealth taxes would harm prosperity in Africa and across the developing world.
- [The 'Brussels Effect' and Imperialism of Expediency](https://theiatp.org/2025/09/04/the-brussels-effect-and-imperialism-of-expediency/) - IATP Fellow Martin van Staden from the Free Market Foundation explains how 'imperialism of expedience' has led South Africa to import growth-killing EU regulations.
- [Liberty in Burundi](https://theiatp.org/2025/05/05/liberty-in-burundi/) - Work is underway to bring freedom and prosperity to one of the poorest countries in the world. The Whetstone Freedom Fund (WFF) is an international initiative founded by the Institute of Economic Affairs in honour of the late Linda Whetstone, to support classical liberal ideas around the world. This piece was first published on the Institute of
- [How New US Tariffs Could Reshape Zambia’s Exports](https://theiatp.org/2025/08/22/how-new-us-tariffs-could-reshape-zambias-exports/) - The United States implemented a new system of reciprocal tariffs on August 1, 2025. While Zambian exports to the United States now face a 15% general tariff, the reality is much more complicated. The question is whether under this new regime Zambia can continue to count on US export earnings. Buyers will inevitably look at
- [Africa's Free Trading Future: A Comprehensive look at the AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2024/11/06/africas-free-trading-future-a-comprehensive-look-at-the-afcfta/) - New research for the Initiative for African Trade & Prosperity highlights the transformative potential of free trade in Africa.
- [Trump's Tariffs to Disrupt Kenya's Growth](https://theiatp.org/2025/08/12/trumps-tariffs-to-disrupt-kenyas-growth/) - With Donald Trump’s administration allowing a self-imposed trade deadline to expire on August 1st, a cascading effect of new tariffs was released on a list of 69 countries. The decision, part of “America First” Trade Reset was intended to punish what Washington deemed unfair trading relationships. While headlines largely focused on China, South Africa, and
- [Trump's Tariffs Send a Clear Signal to South Sudan](https://theiatp.org/2025/08/15/trumps-tariffs-send-a-clear-signal-to-south-sudan/) - South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation, having gained independence in 2011. Since then, its economy has been heavily dependent on oil. But for a small but growing group of traders, leather good producers, and resource-reliant businesses, new American tariffs represent a significant setback. Background In a recent policy shift, the US announced a 10%
- [Competing with China in Africa: Strategic Suggestions on the EU Global Gateway](https://theiatp.org/2024/10/14/nkafu-policy-institute-collaborates-on-china-in-africa-project/) - The IATP's Cameroonian partner, Nkafu Policy Institute, recently collaborated on a project with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. The research paper, called Competing with China in Africa: Strategic Suggestions on the EU Global Gateway, includes three sections and features a lengthy discussion written by three members of the Nkafu Policy Institute - Dr. Jean-Cedric
- [Madagascar Becomes 49th State to Ratify AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2024/12/02/madagascar-becomes-49th-state-to-ratify-afcfta/) - This November, Madagascar’s National Assembly legislated for the island nation to become the 49th country to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This is an important step to achieving continent-wide free trade for a region that needs it. While 54 countries have signed the AfCFTA, signaling support for the continent's liberal trading future,
- [The African Continental Free Trade Area: A Path to Prosperity](https://theiatp.org/2024/11/28/the-african-continental-free-trade-area-a-path-to-prosperity/) - Last month’s Commonwealth summit in Samoa was not supposed to be about the past. But despite Downing Street’s pledge that the issue would be off the biennial summit’s agenda, the topic of reparations inevitably stole the headlines. All 56 of the bloc’s heads of government, including Keir Starmer, signed a document acknowledging calls for ‘discussions
- [Free Trade in the Precolonial Era: Implications for the Implementation of the AfCFTA in Cameroon](https://theiatp.org/2024/11/12/free-trade-in-the-precolonial-era-implications-for-the-implementation-of-the-afcfta-in-cameroon/) - Table of Contents [Open][Close] Introduction Background Methodology Study Site and design Selection of participants and data collections Data analysis and reporting Findings Modus Operandi of Precolonial Trade Instruments and Actors involved during precolonial trade Currencies Actors in the business transaction Rules and regulations governing Precolonial trade Challenges Encounter during Precolonial Trade Communication Portability of commodities
- [Breaking down Non-tariff Barriers New App](https://theiatp.org/2024/11/02/breaking-down-non-tariff-barriers-new-app/) - On October 10, 2024, at the Rumonge port in southwestern Burundi, Jean Claude Ndibanje, a cross-border trader exporting avocados to the DRC, prepares to ship his cargo across Lake Tanganyika to Kalemie. What should be a straightforward process is hindered by significant administrative delays at the port, extending the time required for goods to be
- [The Tripartite FTA and the AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2024/10/04/the-tripartite-fta-and-the-afcfta/) - As the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 approaches, Africa is poised for unprecedented economic growth. The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), a partially implemented African free trade agreement between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC), ratified by 14 member states, is a crucial step toward
- [Causes of South Africa's Lagging Trade Performance](https://theiatp.org/2024/08/28/causes-of-south-africas-lagging-trade-performance/) - Summary: According to the National Treasury, South Africa’s GDP growth has averaged 0.8% per year since 2012. As Chris Hattingh reports, most of the major causes behind this severe underperformance are well-documented: electricity shortfalls, onerous bureaucratic systems and inflexible labour markets, corruption from national to municipal levels, and numerous logistics inefficiencies. Within this cluster of
- [Trade Update: Positive Developments in May](https://theiatp.org/2024/05/29/trade-update-positive-developments-in-may/) - Increasing global trade allows consumers and producers to exchange payment and goods in ways that simply were not possible under more protectionist times. With the adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), producers from all over the continent should find it much easier to move goods across Africa’s various regions, improving access for
- [CRA Report: Recommendations for South African Trade Policy](https://theiatp.org/2024/05/15/cra-report-recommendations-for-south-african-trade-policy/) - The Centre for Risk Analysis (CRA), located in South Africa, released a research paper last month that gives a detailed account of South Africa’s trading landscape. The report comes at a critical time for the nation’s economy, which has been underperforming. Incomes have not been growing, the currency is plummeting in value, and unemployment remains
- [AfCFTA and Zenpay Link Up to Facilitate Trade](https://theiatp.org/2024/05/08/afcfta-and-zenpay-link-up-to-facilitate-trade/) - Encouraging news emerged this week when it was announced that the AfCFTA Secretariat will be collaborating with Zenpay Limited to develop a digital platform that should make it much easier to trade under the AfCFTA guidelines. Zenpay, established in 2018, has been working on developing digital payment technologies to make transactions easier for employees and
- [Lessons From the WTO's 30th Birthday: Trade Growth Brings Poverty Reduction](https://theiatp.org/2024/05/01/lessons-from-the-wtos-30th-birthday-trade-growth-brings-poverty-reduction/) - A new blog post on the World Trade Organization's website highlights the importance of expanding trade in order to reduce poverty across the globe. The WTO, which just celebrated its 30th birthday after being launched on April 15, 1994 when the "Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization" was signed, has consistently attempted to reduce
- [Uganda Is Making It Hard to Get Potatoes](https://theiatp.org/2024/04/23/uganda-is-making-it-hard-to-get-potatoes/) - While there has been some positive news coming out of the African continent due to improved economic performance, that doesn’t mean everything is going well. This past week, what looks like a minor incident took place on the Kenya-Uganda border, but this occurrence exemplifies a much larger problem that has plagued African development for decades.
- [Report: Many MSMEs Don't Know About AfCFTA | UK Drops Flower Tariff](https://theiatp.org/2024/04/17/report-many-msmes-dont-know-about-afcfta-uk-drops-flower-tariff/) - Free trade proponents received a little bit of bad news recently. According to a report by the Aya Institute for Women, Politics, and Media, a think tank located in Accra, many women and youth don't know very much about the opportunities that are available to them under the AfCFTA. According to the Institute's Programmes Coordinator,
- [New Academic Article: Economic Freedom Improves Global Value Chain Participation](https://theiatp.org/2024/04/03/new-academic-article-economic-freedom-improves-global-value-chain-participation/) - A new article was recently published in the African Development Review, a top-journal that reports on African-related public policy issues, by Badassa Chala - a professor in the department of economics at Ambo University in Ethiopia. Chala's article investigated the relationship between economic freedom, the ease of doing business, and trade in global value chains
- [Intra-African Trade Improves: Encouraging Sign for Continent](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/29/intra-african-trade-improves-encouraging-sign-for-continent/) - The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released their latest Global Trade Update, and long-story short there is some good news. First of all, for several quarters international trade flows were contracting, but it looks like things are going to rebound in 2024. Second, some of the globe's developing regions, Africa included, showed
- [More Countries Projected to Trade Under AfCFTA | Good News for Continent's Economy](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/20/more-countries-projected-to-trade-under-afcfta-good-news-for-continents-economy/) - In 2018, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was introduced at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union. In 2021, the AfCFTA was formally implemented. Since then, various negotiations have taken place that have attempted to get the free trade area up and running. While there certainly have been some hurdles to the
- [2024 Heritage Index of Economic Freedom Released: Mauritius Leads in Africa, Tanzania Scores Well](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/13/2024-heritage-index-of-economic-freedom-released-mauritius-leads-in-africa-tanzania-scores-well/) - The Heritage Foundation recently released their 2024 Index of Economic Freedom. According to the report, the index attempts to quantify how liberty and free markets are supported throughout the globe by assigning an overall score to over 175 countries. Each country is graded on ten different components that all impact the amount of freedom citizens
- [East Africa Reports Strong Growth: But More Can Be Done](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/11/east-africa-reports-strong-growth-but-more-can-be-done/) - East Africa has been experiencing strong economic growth over the past few years, and it looks like things are going to continue surging in the right direction. According to The East African Economic Outlook 2024, released by RSM Eastern Africa Consulting Ltd, East African economies are projected to grow by over 5 % for the
- [Ethiopia-Kenya Relationship Signals Good News for East Africa's Future](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/07/ethiopia-kenya-relationship-signals-good-news-for-east-africas-future/) - Two of East Africa’s largest and most important economies for the region are Kenya and Ethiopia. And thankfully, there is some positive news! It seems like some wise decisions are being made for the region’s long term economic transformation, as these countries seek to deepen their economic integration, potentially boosting the entire region’s future success.
- [ECOWAS Struggles: Worrying Sign for AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2024/03/04/ecowas-struggles-worrying-sign-for-afcfta/) - The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is technically composed of 15 member states in the West Africa region. However, things may be getting a bit more complicated. Ideally, ECOWAS is supposed to be a beacon of prosperity that is partly the result of successful regional integration strategies. Currently, that is not the reality.
- [Kenya – South Sudan Put Away Dispute, Move Toward Regional Integration](https://theiatp.org/2024/02/28/kenya-south-sudan-put-away-dispute-move-toward-regional-integration/) - The Ilemi Triangle has made Kenya – South Sudan relations a bit contentious over the past few years. This dispute has to do with an odd convergence of the international borders between Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Currently, there is no clear demarcation of what land in this area is part of which country, leading
- [New Report: AfCFTA Can Boost Moroccan Automotive Sector](https://theiatp.org/2024/02/26/new-report-afcfta-can-boost-moroccan-automotive-sector/) - The African Continental Free Trade Area undoubtedly has the potential to provide several industries with opportunities to capitalize on the liberalised trading environment that will be fostered in the next few years. A new report from CFC Africa Insights details one such industry that stands to gain from improved access to African market’s: Morocco’s automotive
- [Nigeria's Ports Are About to Improve](https://theiatp.org/2023/12/11/nigerias-ports-are-about-to-improve/) - In November 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), licensed five new Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) across the country to begin the operation of handling and processing export cargoes. Establishing and licensing these export processing terminals are critical to increasing Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and boosting intra-African trade. The African
- [How Protectionism Undermines Economic Growth](https://theiatp.org/2023/12/08/how-protectionism-undermines-economic-growth/) - Protectionism, or the use of tariffs, subsidies, import quotas and other trade restrictive policies to protect domestic industries, is fast increasing on the global landscape and prompting a major shift away from global free trade. Between 2009 and 2015, over 6,000 new protectionist measures were implemented globally, as opposed to only 2,500 policies that support
- [Technology and Africa's Development](https://theiatp.org/2023/11/29/technology-and-africas-development/) - The African Economic Conference was just held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the event, the topic of how technology can improve industrialisation in Africa was heavily discussed. A paper discussed at the conference, titled Technological Capability and Industrialization in Africa, sampled 50 African countries and found that while some countries on the continent lagged far
- [IATF2023 Shows Attitudes Towards Trade are Improving in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2023/11/21/iatf2023-shows-attitudes-towards-trade-are-improving-in-africa/) - Last week, the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) was held in Cairo, Egypt. The event was jointly held by the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Export-Import Bank, and the African Union. Former Nigerian president, and current Chairman of the IATF2023 Advisory Council, was quoted as saying that “intra-African trade holds the key to unlocking Africa’s true
- [Free Trade Can Unleash Africa's Economic Potential](https://theiatp.org/2023/11/15/free-trade-can-unleash-africas-economic-potential/) - Introduction Digital and physical infrastructure improvements have integrated economies across the world, facilitating international trade and boosting E-commerce in goods and services. In fact, between the 20th and 21st centuries, the number of people with less than $1.50 per day dropped significantly, which is partially a result of free trade becoming more popular throughout the
- [Improving Nigeria's Manufacturing Through Trade](https://theiatp.org/2023/08/04/improving-nigerias-manufacturing-through-trade/) - In recent years, in large part thanks to its growing population and expanding middle class (now estimated to be in excess of 50 million people), Nigeria has witnessed a surge in the demand for manufactured goods. With this increased demand, it is critical for Nigerian manufacturers to recognize the enormous opportunities presented by the African
- [South Africa Needs Free Markets, Not Government Intervention](https://theiatp.org/2023/07/17/south-africa-needs-free-markets-not-government-intervention/) - South Africa’s Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, has blamed the private sector for South Africa’s blackouts that have destroyed businesses and jobs. Surprised? I am not. Politicians who believe in government controls advocate for an interventionist role of government in the economy, but they always blame the private sector when their statist policies fail. A stronger
- [Policy Wins in Burundi](https://theiatp.org/2023/05/26/policy-wins-in-burundi/) - How our partners helped make Burundi a freer nation and improved the lives of millions.
- [How to Increase Investment in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2023/05/30/how-to-increase-investment-in-africa/) - This year’s Kearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index, an annual survey of global business executives that ranks the attractiveness of markets to invest in, has been released. The usual suspects (United States, Japan, Germany, etc.) took the top spots, with 19 of the top 25 places being occupied by developed economies. However, that is not the
- [Malawi's Path to Prosperity?](https://theiatp.org/2023/05/22/malawis-path-to-prosperity/) - Late last year, the World Bank reported that Malawi’s economic future was in peril. In a press release, they noted that “The combined effects of adverse weather, acute foreign exchange shortages, disruptions to electricity, and the high rate of inflation, mean Malawi continues to face an economic slowdown.” Unfortunately, predictions for economic growth in 2023
- [The Worrying Decline of Economic Freedom In Rwanda](https://theiatp.org/2023/03/31/rwandas-tragic-slide-in-economic-freedom/) - Last month, The Heritage Foundation released its 2023 Index of Economic Freedom - it's not good news. Even though higher levels of economic freedom are positively correlated with longer life expectancies, cleaner environments and more peaceful societies, governments around the globe are making policy decisions that result in increased oppression and subsequently, worse lives for
- [Leveraging the AfCFTA to Support Women: Wise Decisions Must Be Made](https://theiatp.org/2023/03/30/leveraging-the-afcfta-to-support-women-wise-decisions-must-be-made/) - The African Union Commission recently stated that the AfCFTA would lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty. Esther Tankou, Head of the Information Division at the African Union, has suggested this will happen, in part, because the AfCFTA will ensure that women working in small and medium enterprises, the rural sector, and in industry,
- [Africa's Free Trade Agreement: A Beacon of Hope for the Continent's Agricultural Industry?](https://theiatp.org/2023/02/24/africas-free-trade-agreement-a-beacon-of-hope-for-the-continents-agricultural-industry/) - During President Biden’s closing remarks at the U.S.-Africa summit held in December, he stated that “Africa has the potential to feed its people and help feed the world.” Although framed with a positive spin, the inference of Biden’s statement refers to the tragic fact that Africa’s agricultural sector is woefully underdeveloped. Africa is home to roughly 60 percent of
- [How Can Cameroon Farmers Benefit From Globalization](https://theiatp.org/2022/03/28/how-can-cameroon-farmers-benefit-from-globalization/) - Introduction Globalization is the word used to describe the growing interdependence of the world's economies, cultures, and populations, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and services, technology, and flows of investment, people, and information. As the world has grown more connected, goods and services flow from one country to another. To put this into
- [Ensuring the Success of the AfCFTA - Issues for Urgent Consideration](https://theiatp.org/2022/03/23/ensuring-the-success-of-the-afcfta-issues-for-urgent-consideration/) - The AfCFTA is estimated to generate $3.4 trillion in Gross Domestic Product, increase real incomes by 7 percent, increase trade by up to $70 billion and lift more than 100 million people out of poverty by 2040.
- [Non-tariff Barriers Could Undermine Africa’s Free Trade Ambitions](https://theiatp.org/2022/03/11/non-tariff-barriers-could-undermine-africas-free-trade-ambitions/) - The new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could transform Africa’s economic prospects. The World Bank estimates the AfCFTA could lift more than 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty (defined as having an income of less than $1.90 per day), and 68 million more people out of moderate poverty (an income of $5.50 per
- [Nigeria's Human Freedom Deficit](https://theiatp.org/2022/02/21/nigerias-human-freedom-deficit/) - In the recently published 2021 Human Freedom Index (HFI) authored by experts at the Cato Institute and Fraser Institute, Nigeria placed 123rd among 165 countries and territories ranked in the study. One relatable consequence of this poor placement is that an individual is more likely to experience police brutality and other state repressions in Nigeria than in
- [The AfCFTA: Restoring Africa's Indigenous Trading Patterns](https://theiatp.org/2022/02/08/the-afcfta-restoring-africas-indigenous-trading-patterns/) - The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) last year has the potential to reduce trade barriers across Africa, and in doing so, it will likely usher in a new era of prosperity across the continent. However, the adoption of free trade represents a noticeable shift in the region’s recent economic policy. At
- [The AfCFTA Will Improve Africa’s Ability to Respond to Future Pandemic](https://theiatp.org/2022/01/27/the-afcfta-will-improve-africas-ability-to-respond-to-future-pandemic/) - Global trade has suffered since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to Africa's heavy reliance on trade with the rest of the world, the continent has found itself in a difficult position. The African Union Development Agency has estimated that the pandemic will cause more than $101 billion of export earning losses in Africa, with oil-producing
- [Africa’s Dilemma: Clean or Dirty Economic Growth?](https://theiatp.org/2022/01/19/africas-dilemma-clean-or-dirty-economic-growth/) - In November, the world watched as leaders gathered at COP26 in Glasgow to discuss climate change. A popular theme throughout the conference was that of green growth in Africa. African countries have been under pressure usually from Western leaders, to pursue green-powered economic growth. Even though Africa emits fewer Greenhouse Gases (GHG) than any other
- [Africa's Long History of Open Trade and Markets](https://theiatp.org/2021/12/09/africas-long-history-of-open-trade-and-markets/) - Market reforms in Africa can be thwarted because of propaganda asserting that markets are a Western import. Notwithstanding the currency of this belief, it is patently absurd. Markets flourished in Africa prior to colonialism, and wherever they are repressed, the result is social immiseration, as economist William Hutt points out in his pathbreaking study, The Economics of the
- [Localisation Will Further Damage South Africa’s Weak Economy](https://theiatp.org/2021/12/06/localisation-will-further-damage-south-africas-weak-economy/) - The SA economy is mired in a low-growth cycle. The 2021 medium-term budget policy statement delivered by finance minister Enoch Godongwana indicated a growth forecast of 1.8% for 2022 and 1.6% in 2023 — with our emerging-market peers expecting growth of an average of 5% over the same period. SA’s low growth forecast won’t deliver
- [Africa's New Trade Deal Can Revolutionise the Continent's Food Industry](https://theiatp.org/2021/11/22/africas-new-trade-deal-can-revolutionise-the-continents-food-industry/) - Much has been written about the potential economic benefits of the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). However, few people have asked: how will the new trade deal help African states develop a resilient agricultural sector? Food is crucial for our existence and it should not be a luxury for anybody on earth. When
- [Africa’s Path To Greater Economic Freedom](https://theiatp.org/2021/10/27/africas-path-to-greater-economic-freedom/) - The average GDP per-capita in countries that rank in the top quartile for economic freedom is a staggering $50,619 compared to a meagre $5,911 for economies ranked in the bottom quartile.
- [Will the Benefits of Free Trade Be Restricted to the Politically Connected?](https://theiatp.org/2021/10/09/will-the-benefits-of-free-trade-be-restricted-to-the-politically-connected/) - Market forces – which thrive when left free – are what drive trade, not political ideology or objectives.
- [Nigeria Is Well-Positioned to Benefit From the Afcfta](https://theiatp.org/2021/10/04/nigeria-is-well-positioned-to-benefit-from-the-afcfta/) - The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) officially went into force at the beginning of this year. For the first time, the entire continent came together to formulate an agreement to liberalise trade, support business and consumers, and encourage investment. While protectionism has continued to rise worldwide in recent years, through the AfCFTA 54 African
- [To Tackle China, the U.S. Should Trade More in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2021/08/24/to-tackle-china-the-u-s-should-trade-more-in-africa/) - Although it can be seen as beneficial to Africa’s development, active Chinese participation in Africa’s development is increasingly worrisome. There is no such thing as free Chinese money.
- [The African Diaspora Should Invest in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2021/08/19/to-boost-trade-the-african-diaspora-should-invest-in-africa/) - The history of African migration is as old as humanity itself. Ancient African communities migrated in search of food, shelter, and pastures for their flock. The development of vast trade networks across the continent created another reason for intrepid entrepreneurs to travel. The arrival of foreigners through the East African coasts upgraded barter trade, and
- [Trade Reforms Are Needed to Boost South Africa’s Woeful Economy](https://theiatp.org/2021/08/11/trade-reforms-are-needed-to-boost-south-africas-woeful-economy/) - To enable South Africans to rebuild as quickly and strongly as possible after the July riots, the government must implement pro-economic freedom reforms that’ll ease the flow of goods and services and encourage investment. The most robust supply chains are those free to grow in a regulatory environment that is as least burdensome as possible.
- [How Did Botswana Become the World’s Fastest-Growing Economy?](https://theiatp.org/2021/08/09/how-did-botswana-become-the-worlds-fastest-growing-economy/) - From 1965 to 1995, Botswana recorded the fastest rate of economic growth in the world. The spectacular success of Botswana has baffled many analysts, because after securing independence in 1966, Botswana's prospects were unpromising. After all, Botswana is landlocked and on average, the record of such countries is unimpressive. But geography was not Botswana’s only obstacle
- [Examining the Challenges and Opportunities of the AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2021/08/05/examining-the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-the-afcfta/) - When the plan for the African trade area agreement started, it seemed like another ambitious project typical of African leaders that had no clear-cut implementation strategy. However, what has preceded the trade agreement’s announcement has been nothing short of spectacular. Since the trade area's creation, African leaders have united to achieve a common goal, regardless
- [The AfCFTA Could Provide Necessary Momentum for Improving SA's Port Infrastructure](https://theiatp.org/2021/06/23/the-afcfta-could-provide-necessary-momentum-for-improving-sas-port-infrastructure/) - To increase trade with the rest of Africa – and the world – the South African government must understand just how vital efficient rail and port networks are.
- [Africa Will Fail to Reach Free-Trade Goals Without New Rules and Infrastructure](https://theiatp.org/2021/06/02/africa-will-fail-to-reach-free-trade-goals-without-new-rules-and-infrastructure/) - The goal of the AfCFTA to eliminate tariffs on 90% of goods will be stillborn without regulatory and infrastructure changes. New policies must be created to facilitate the faster and seamless flow of goods and services across borders, especially into and out of African ports.
- [Restoring Trade in Africa: Liberating the Continent from the Colonial Legacy](https://theiatp.org/2021/05/21/restoring-trade-in-africa-liberating-the-continent-from-the-colonial-legacy/) - A continentwide free trade area will undo one of the most harmful and exploitative legacies of colonialism and imperialism. In many ways, the AfCFTA is about restoring a historical legacy.
- [The AfCFTA Promises a Brighter Future for Africa – but Liberals Must Fight for It](https://theiatp.org/2021/05/20/a-new-trade-bloc-promises-a-brighter-future-for-africa-but-liberals-must-fight-for-it/) - A free trading Africa will lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. But that brighter future depends on economic liberals from across the continent, and indeed, the world, coming together to help make it a success.
- [Increased Trade Is Exactly What Africa Needs Post-COVID-19](https://theiatp.org/2021/05/18/increased-trade-is-exactly-what-africa-needs-post-covid-19/) - For centuries, African people's economic and innovation potential was inhibited (and in many instances, denied outright), by policies and ideologies that placed the state (in different incarnations) above the individual. Justifications for the curtailment of economic freedoms have been plentiful; the results have been economic stagnation, widespread hunger and endemic poverty. However, there might be
- [Africa Tries Free Trade](https://theiatp.org/2021/05/18/africa-tries-free-trade/) - While there’s little doubt that socialism will continue to haunt some parts of the continent, it’s clear that, with the AfCFTA supported by 54 of the 55 A.U. member states, liberal ideas are beginning to gain traction on the world’s poorest continent.
- [Africa’s Freer Future?](https://theiatp.org/2022/04/22/africas-freer-future/) - Last month’s publication of the Heritage Foundation’s annual 2022 Index of Economic Freedom made for hard reading for all those interested in Africa’s future prosperity. Unfortunately, the report found that not only is economic freedom falling across Africa, but to make matters worse - it has been for several years. This trend is worrisome as
- [The Problem with Guilds: They're Monopolistic and Wasteful](https://theiatp.org/2022/04/27/the-problem-with-guilds-theyre-monopolistic-and-wasteful/) - Economists have illuminated our understanding of guilds in medieval Europe, but we still know rather little about their functions in other parts of the world, especially Africa. In the West, the approach has been to question the relevance of guilds as a platform to accentuate economic growth. In economic literature, most agree that guilds inhibited
- [PAPSS: Making African Trade and Transactions Faster and More Efficient](https://theiatp.org/2022/05/25/papss-making-african-trade-and-transactions-faster-and-more-efficient/) - Introduction to PAPSS The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the potential to revolutionise the continent’s economy and spur innovation. The primary goals of the AfCFTA, which has been signed by 54 African states, is to increase the amount of intra-African trade, grow the continent’s economic output, and improve the continent’s
- [Like India in 1991, Is Africa on the Verge of Rapid Economic Growth?](https://theiatp.org/2022/04/12/like-india-in-1991-is-africa-on-the-verge-of-rapid-economic-growth/) - Over the last three decades, India has experienced a miraculous economic transformation. Less than 40 years ago, nearly half of all Indians lived below the poverty line, and globally, the state received the highest levels of development aid. Today, India is considered an emerging superpower. It has the sixth-largest nominal GDP, a booming technology sector (IBM has more employees in India than in the
- [Agricultural Subsidies in Wealthy Countries Make Africans Poorer](https://theiatp.org/2022/07/01/agricultural-subsidies-in-wealthy-countries-make-africans-poorer/) - It’s estimated that in 2021, approximately 490 million of Africa’s almost 1.4 billion people lived on less than $1.90 per day. To get a sense of African poverty, note that 9 of the 10 poorest countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. Many factors cause Africa’s underdevelopment, but contrary to what some may think, the continent’s economic prospects are far from hopeless. Indeed, even in
- [Africa Needs Free Markets, not Wealth Transfers](https://theiatp.org/2022/07/15/africa-needs-free-markets-not-wealth-transfers/) - Although poverty has been reduced considerably in industrialized societies, it continues to attack developing countries. Approximately, 689 million people, or about 9.2 percent of the world, live in dire poverty, and most of them are in developing countries. However, through the adoption of freer markets, developing countries like China and Vietnam have managed to arrest the
- [How Freer Trade can Reduce Violence in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2022/08/01/how-freer-trade-can-reduce-violence-in-africa/) - With the media focused on new NASA photos of galaxies far away, hearings about the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6th, and Twitter’s decision to sue extravagant billionaire Elon Musk, several serious border disputes across Africa have been woefully underreported. Arguing between Kenya and South Sudan, Tanzania and Malawi, and Kenya and Uganda are examples of long-term, simmering tensions that can
- [Fraser Institute Report Shows Economic Freedom Declining in Africa](https://theiatp.org/2022/09/26/fraser-institute-report-shows-economic-freedom-declining-in-africa/) - Over the last 30 years, most Sub-Saharan African economies have become steadily freer. However, a new report published last week found that the region’s positive steps towards freer and more open economies are beginning to falter. This is problematic because for decades numerous academics have demonstrated that freer economies tend to be richer, grow faster,
- [The Kenya-Uganda Trade War Could Undermine East African Prosperity](https://theiatp.org/2022/10/21/the-kenya-uganda-trade-war-could-undermine-east-african-prosperity/) - Kenya and Uganda have been in a trade dispute. The latest hostilities between the two East African countries began in December 2019 when Kenya stopped importing Ugandan milk. In July 2020, Kenya followed by banning Ugandan sugar (disregarding an earlier agreement to increase Uganda’s sugar exports to Kenya). Then Kenya also banned eggs from Uganda in
- [Africa's Three Largest Economies are Undermining the AfCFTA](https://theiatp.org/2022/10/24/africas-three-largest-economies-are-undermining-the-afcfta/) - The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could usher in a new era of prosperity for the world’s poorest and most protectionist continent. The World Bank estimates that the AfCFTA could lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty and 68 million people from moderate poverty by 2035. Yet, despite the extraordinary benefits of the new free
- [Kenya's New Government Must Embrace Economic Freedom](https://theiatp.org/2022/10/28/kenyas-new-government-must-embrace-economic-freedom/) - William Ruto became Kenya’s fifth president last month. At his inauguration, Ruto pledged to unify the nation and be the leader of “all Kenyans.” As President, Ruto’s primary goal should be to help ensure greater prosperity for the 53 million Kenyans he now leads. To accomplish this, his country needs economic growth. Despite modest growth in recent
- [How Can the U.S. Spur Economic Growth in Africa?](https://theiatp.org/2023/01/12/how-can-the-u-s-spur-economic-growth-in-africa/) - Last month, African leaders made their way to Washington, D.C., for the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit since 2014. The three-day event came at a crucial time for the United States as American foreign policy experts have grown increasingly nervous about Chinese and Russian engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. The conference primarily focused on

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