Faizel Ismail

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-7092.2019.08.159

Published: 31 December 2019

Abstract: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was launched on 21 March 2018 at a Summit of the African Union, held in Kigali, Rwanda. This paper discusses the question: How can the AfCFTA benefit all African countries? The paper critiques the conventional approaches to regional integration as propounded in the academic literature. The paper proposes that African policy makers should develop an approach to regional integration that is best suited to Africa’s own development needs. The paper argues that by adopting a “developmental regionalism” approach to the AfCFTA African member states can stimulate a virtuous circle of fair trade, transformative industrial development, increased cross-border investment and strengthening of democracy in Africa.

Keywords: African economic development, Regional economic integration, African Continental Free Trade Area, African Union.

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