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Africa

AfCFTA annexes under wraps as talks continue behind closed doors
27-Jun-2025 bilaterals.org
African governments are deep in consultations over new annexes to the African Continental Free Trade Area, according to sources aware of the negotiations. Though what exactly is on the table remains largely opaque.
AfCFTA & digital governance
19-Jun-2025 The US Kenya FTA insights
Africa’s AfCFTA quietly adopted a controversial digital trade protocol, mirroring outdated U.S. tech rules that risk undermining data sovereignty and regulatory power.
China’s duty-free access offers growth path as Agoa waivers
17-Jun-2025 Business Daily
On June 12, 2025, China announced it would extend duty-free market access to 53 African countries, eliminating tariffs on 98 percent of taxable products originating from these nations.
Cameroon ratifies Samoa agreement to extend EU-ACP trade pact
13-Jun-2025 Business in Cameroon
On June 11, Cameroon officially deposited its instruments of ratification for the Samoa Agreement at the EU headquarters in Brussels. This new partnership agreement between the EU and the countries of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific is set to replace the 2000 Cotonou Agreement, which established the framework for the Economic Partnership Agreements.
(Yonhap Interview) Africa a ’market of certainty’ for S. Korea amid shifting trade climate: AfCFTA chief
2-Jun-2025 Yonhap News Agency
Africa offers South Korea a reliable alternative market grounded in a rules-based system and predictability, making it an attractive partner amid a shifting global trade environment, the head of the region’s free trade bloc has said.
US says African free trade agreement needs ‘reciprocity’
21-May-2025 News central
A senior US State Department official for Africa indicated on Tuesday that the future renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a significant US-African trade deal, will likely require more “reciprocity” from African nations.
End harmful treaties, says Nalunga
25-Apr-2025 Monitor
Treaties and agreements should facilitate a green and equitable transition by channeling investments into renewable energy, circular economies, and sustainable infrastructure.
Nigeria signs on AfCFTA tariffs
17-Apr-2025 The Nation
Nigeria has gazetted its Provisional Schedule of Tariff Concessions (PSTCs) under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), marking a major milestone in the country’s commitment to regional integration and trade facilitation across Africa.
Africa adapts to economic headwinds amid tariffs, regional tensions
17-Apr-2025 The North Africa Post
African economies are pivoting strategies in response to renewed U.S. tariffs, leadership transitions, and escalating regional conflicts, forcing a recalibration of trade relationships across the continent.
Energy Charter Treaty irrelevant to Africa
15-Apr-2025 Monitor
The Energy Charter Treaty not only locks countries into outdated fossil fuel investments but also hampers their ability to pursue sustainable, climate-friendly energy policies.
Steep US tariffs on Africa signal end of trade deal meant to boost development
4-Apr-2025 Reuters
The US government’s imposition of steep tariffs on African nations signals the end of the AGOA trade deal.
AfCFTA and BRICS: Unlocking Africa’s trade potential
19-Mar-2025 Pravda Egypt
The African Continental Free Trade Area is emerging as a key player in global trade, and its growing ties with BRICS nations present new opportunities for economic collaboration.
AfCFTA must deliver for workers and Africa’s future, ITUC-Africa tells AUC, governments
18-Mar-2025 Nigerian Tribune
ITUC-Africa has issued a powerful call to action, urging governments and institutions to ensure that trade-led growth translates into decent jobs, social justice, and sustainable development.
Corporate colonization through trade: A new scramble for Africa
5-Mar-2025 Public Citizen
Investor-State Dispute Settlement has become a significant concern for African nations, as it often privileges multinational corporations at the expense of local governance and public welfare.
Will the African Growth and Opportunity Act survive under Trump?
24-Feb-2025 African Business
With the African Growth and Opportunity Act set to expire and Trump a free trade sceptic, what’s the future of US-Africa trade? Some analysts argue that Washington should shift its focus from AGOA towards building a new partnership centred around AfCFTA.
Assessing five years of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Proposals on potential amendments
27-Jan-2025 South Centre
Africa’s experience of thirty years of failure in the application of the so-called free market policies of neoliberalism shows that the process of economic transformation and regional integration and the policies required cannot be left to the free-working of market forces.
Can UAE deal make Kenya Dubai of Africa?
16-Jan-2025 The Standard
The recent signing of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates heralds a significant shift in economic relations that could position Kenya as a central player in Africa’s trade landscape.
Civil society organisations push for transformative global investment rules
11-Dec-2024 SOMO
The Entebbe Declaration calls for justice and sustainability in global investment governance.
The AfCFTA and land in Africa: towards a surge in land grabbing?
2-Dec-2024 GRAIN
Given that the AfCFTA could lead to a rise in demand for African land from agricultural and other investors, and that climate policies are increasingly looking to land projects to “capture” carbon, the risks for local communities whose livelihoods rely on land will be great.
Algeria : official entry into the AfCFTA on november 1
7-Nov-2024 Africa News Agency
Algeria marks a historic turning point by officially joining the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)