The Future of the Atlantic and the Role of Africa in International Development Summary of the 2014 Report of the US Association for the Club of Rome (original) (raw)
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The Future of the Atlantic and the Role of Africa in International Development
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The 2014 USACOR report forecasts that economic cooperation across the Atlantic will increase through the implementation of free trade agreements such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the development of free trade areas in the African continent. Such agreements shall be complemented by multilateral security cooperation to prevent conflicts, asymmetric warfare and also to guarantee food and water security. The report recommends that free trade agreements be supported by fair labor and antitrust laws to protect working and middle classes, common environmental regulations and multilateral mechanisms for dispute resolution.
A Transatlantic Partnership with Ripples Across the Oceans: What Does Africa Stand to Gain or Lose?
The Transatlantic Colossus: Global Contribution to Broaden the EU-US Free Trade Agreement, 2014
Partnership (TTIP) -may be negotiated in Brussels and Washington, but the ripples will be felt throughout the global political and economic landscape. Of particular concern to developing countries and Africa in particular is the potential for the TAFTA | TTIP to have trade diversion effects, thus making entry into the transatlantic market even more difficult. To minimise this potential for negative spillover effects, the EU and the US have the option of adopting a mutual recognition policy applicable to third countries with flexible rules of origin. While this decision lies with the EU and the US, African countries can also take steps towards minimising their vulnerability by expanding intra-Africa trade through further regional integration and expanding trade with emerging powers, who have strengthened their political and economic relations in recent years.
African Futures 2030. Free trade, peace and prosperity
2021
This Chaillot Paper is the outcome of a Task Force on African Futures, launched in November 2019 by the EUISS in partnership with leading African and European research institutions. The Task Force identified the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a key factor driving economic, technological and societal transformations in Africa in the next decade. Based on the premise that continental integration is critical for Africa’s economic recovery and future resilience, the publication portrays what an integrated and prosperous African continent could look like in 2030, thanks to the full implementation of the AfCFTA. It describes the pathways, milestones and initiatives that can lead to such a desirable scenario in ten selected, cross-cutting areas, showing how coordinated policy action in these sectors is essential to achieve trade integration. In contrast, it also warns about what could happen if negative sectoral trends are not addressed, highlighting the perils and costs of inaction. Finally, it argues that integration under the AfCFTA can be a primary conduit for the strengthening of African multilateralism, and an antidote to proxy conflicts and depredation.
The current economic reality of Africa continues to adhere to a center-periphery model. However, there are currently new elements such as the recent arrival of investment from developing countries as well as the global powers' renewed interest in foodstuffs and minerals.The aforementioned seems to indicate that Africa is playing a greater and greater role in the process of globalization, although from a clearly disadvantaged position as a supplier of natural resources for outside economies, whether entrenched colonial superpowers (Europe), or new economic giants such as China or Brazil. This article aims to carry out an analysis of the evolution of the scope and competitiveness of African exports. As such, we will identify some of the features of Africa's marginal insertion into the global economy by analyzing commercial patterns between Africa and Europe, Asia, and Latin America, using interregional commerce as a point of reference. The methodology to be used is the Competitive Analysis of Nations, a method developed by the World Bank and the ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean).
Africa’s Continental Free Trade and Sustainable Development: An Economic Assessment
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The quest for Africa’s development breakthrough appears to be closely related to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Economic Commission of Africa believes the move could solve chronic poverty and joblessness prevailing on the continent. However, the benefit of hindsight reveals limits set by the laws of thermodynamics on the extent to which economic activities can be most beneficial to humanity. The motivation to expand trade thrives on energy for extraction, production and consumption, yielding undesirable waste products. The need for sustainable development has responded to the limits imposed by excessive waste, stretching environmental carrying capacity to the breaking point. Thus, to avoid repeating past development errors, Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area needs to ascertain the extent and cost of resultant environmental damage. Clearly, AfCFTA is yet to consider such effects. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, should be a reminder of how devastating a collis...
Respublica Litereria RL Vol. XII No 121 MMIXX, 2019
The lecture focuses on the challenges posed by Africa in the third scramble for its resources coming right after coloni-alism and the post-colonial Cold War divisions. The statement of challenges stems from "Foreign investment helps countries not only by applying new technology but also by reorganising the way people work and by keeping an eye on costs. Few governments do these well, corrupt ones least of all. In the past, a lack of political will and weak governance has tended to contribute to the bourgeoning illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Africa. True, Africa is reaping economic benefit, but there is no doubt that big power interest in the continent goes beyond mere altruism. Economically, both private and public sectors of big powers are benefiting from this relationship. The research enquiry augurs on the knowledge gap-challenges posed by Africa in the third scramble for its resources coming right after colonialism and the neo-colonial Cold War divisions. What is the new East-West The main aim of the AfCFTA to remove import duty on 90% of all goods while identified "sensitive items" which make up the balance 10% would also be phased out later as tariff free. The agreement is also meant to liberalise commercial services and also tackle the so-called "non-tariff barriers" which include extended delays and harassment at border posts, which hamper trade between African countries. The main opponents to the treaty is Nigeria-because it believes more jobs will be outsourced to foreign companies, these agreements usually come with cutting cost on public subsidy, reduced tax on importation is bad for local industry Key words: Africa, East-West Rivalry, China, US, third scramble for Africa, AfCFTA,
Africa and the EU Mineral Trade: POLINARES working paper n.77; December 2012
2012
Earlier chapters in POLINARES Workpackages 2 and 4 identified security of supply of raw materials as a key potential risk to continued EU competiveness. The position of the EU in global mineral interactions, and the resultant challenge of addressing the risk of security of supply in context of non-energy raw materials, was further discussed in Chapter 4 of this work package. This chapter elaborates upon these previous chapters, and aims to briefly illustrate the existing multilateral collaboration and regional development cooperation mechanisms. It concludes by highlighting certain considerations for future dealings between the EU and the Sub-Sahara African region regarding the securement of access to non-energy raw materials.
Unpacking the Significance of African Continental Free Trade Area for Africa and its People
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With free trade under attack in much of the developed world, Africa is forging a new path for itself to foster sustainable wealth and development for the continent. On 21 March 2018, AU leaders met in Rwanda to finalise the signing of a new trade agreement creating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA consists of a framework agreement for its establishment and also the Protocol on Trade in Goods and Trade in Services, and the Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of Disputes. These developments come on the back of 10 rounds of AfCFTA negotiations concluded in December 2017, with the 11th round underway in May 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AfCFTA signals the beginning of a new chapter for mega-regional trade relations on the African continent and enhanced efforts at deepening trade and regional integration. This paper gives a snapshot of developments building up to the signing of the AfCFTA and examines the status of the AfCFTA as African gov...