The Treatment of Least Developing Countries (Ldcs) in African Continental Free Tread Area (Afcfta)
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Date
2021-07
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Addis Ababa Unversity
Abstract
AfCFTA is a trade agreement between AU member states, aiming at creating a single continental market for
goods and services as well as a customs union with free movement of persons and capital. Among its expected
key benefitsisthe promise to create a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of
people and investments, thus expanding intra-African trade acrossthe continent, enhancing competitiveness and
supporting economic transformation in Africa. However, intra-African trade remains dominated by a few big
economic powersin the region. To this end, there have been growing fearsthat countries with large productive
capacitiesinmanufacturing orstrongersupply capacitiesin non-manufactured productsmay gainmore rewards
than fragile landlocked and smaller economies, particularly LDCs. These concerns have led those countries to
pushing for SDT in the implementation of the AfCFTA’s provisions concerning goods, services and dispute
settlement Thus; this paper assesses the case for SDT in the AfCFTA and analyzes the particular provisions
provided for it in the AfCFTA. It concludes with recommendations to ensure that, in implementing the
AfCFTA, Africa’s LDCs can be supported to gain significantly from the AfCFTA and gain from its provisions
on SDT.