Overcoming Barriers to Intra-African Trade: The Role of AfCFTA in Dismantling Colonial Crop Legitimacy, Shipping Constraints, and Transportation Challenges

Year 2024, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 1 - 19, 09.07.2024

Oluwaseun Oyebamiji

Abstract

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is designed to enhance trade between African nations by eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers. Despite its potential benefits, intra-African trade remains low, with a substantial portion of Africa's imports originating from outside the continent. This review investigates the obstacles to intra-African trade, such as colonial-era cash crop legacies, shipping constraints, and transportation challenges, and proposes strategies to overcome them. These strategies include streamlining border procedures, simplifying customs processes, and harmonizing regulations, which can decrease trade costs and enhance the ease of doing business within the continent. The literature review provides a comprehensive analysis of existing research on African trade barriers, identifying key issues and proposing potential solutions. A historical overview of African trade reveals a multifaceted narrative influenced by geographical elements, cultural exchanges, and external influences. Regional trade agreements, such as South Africa Development Community SADC, the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, and East Africa Community EAC, aim to promote economic integration and cooperation, but their effectiveness varies. The consequences of trade barriers on African economies and intra-African trade have been widely studied, revealing the complex impact they have on economic growth. The numerous trade agreements in Africa have created a complex web of overlapping regulations and trade arrangements, making trade facilitation more challenging and creating uncertainty for businesses operating within the region. Simplifying customs processes, harmonizing regulations, and streamlining border procedures can significantly reduce trade costs and improve the ease of doing business within the continent.

Keywords

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), intra-African trade, colonial crop legacies, shipping constraints, transportation challenges, trade barriers, regional value chains, manufacturing sectors, non-tariff barriers, customs procedures.

Afrika içi ticaretin önündeki engellerin aşılması: AfCFTA'nın sömürge mahsulünün meşruiyetini, nakliye kısıtlamalarını ve nakliye zorluklarını ortadan kaldırmadaki rolü.

Abstract

Afrika Kıtasal Serbest Ticaret Alanı (AfCFTA), Afrika ülkeleri arasındaki ticareti güçlendirmek amacıyla tarife ve tarife dışı engelleri ortadan kaldırarak tasarlanmıştır. Potansiyel faydalarına rağmen, Afrika içi ticaret düşük kalmakta ve Afrika'nın ithalatının önemli bir kısmı kıtadan dışarıdan gelmektedir. Bu derleme, sömürge dönemi nakit ürün mirasları, taşımacılık kısıtlamaları ve taşımacılık zorlukları gibi Afrika içi ticaretin engellerini araştırır ve bunları aşmak için stratejiler önerir. Bu stratejiler, sınır prosedürlerini basitleştirme, gümrük işlemlerini kolaylaştırma ve düzenlemeleri uyumlaştırma gibi ticaret maliyetlerini azaltabilir ve kıta içinde iş yapma kolaylığını artırabilir. Literatür derlemesi, Afrika ticaret engelleri üzerine mevcut araştırmaların kapsamlı bir analizini sunar, temel sorunları belirler ve potansiyel çözümler önerir. Afrika ticaretine tarihsel bir genel bakış, coğrafi unsurlar, kültürel alışverişler ve dış etkiler tarafından etkilenen çok yönlü bir hikayeyi ortaya koyar. SADC, ECOWAS ve EAC gibi bölgesel ticaret anlaşmaları, ekonomik entegrasyonu ve işbirliğini teşvik etmeyi amaçlamaktadır, ancak etkinlikleri değişmektedir. Ticaret engellerinin Afrika ekonomileri ve Afrika içi ticaret üzerindeki sonuçları geniş çapta araştırılmıştır ve bunların ekonomik büyüme üzerindeki karmaşık etkilerini ortaya koymuştur. Afrika'daki sayısız ticaret anlaşmaları, ticaret kolaylaştırmasını daha zor hale getiren ve bölgede faaliyet gösteren işletmeler için belirsizlik yaratan çeşitli düzenlemeler ve ticaret düzenlemeleri karmaşık bir ağ oluşturmuştur. Gümrük işlemlerini basitleştirme, düzenlemeleri uyumlaştırma ve sınır prosedürlerini basitleştirme, ticaret maliyetlerini önemli ölçüde azaltabilir ve kıta içinde iş yapma kolaylığını artırabilir.

Keywords

Afrika Kıtasal Serbest Ticaret Bölgesi (AfCFTA), Afrika içi ticaret, sömürge mahsul mirası, nakliye kısıtlamaları, ulaşım zorlukları, ticaret engelleri, bölgesel değer zincirleri, imalat sektörleri, tarife dışı engeller, gümrük prosedürleri.

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