The Group has world class expertise in the following areas:
• Trade and Regional Integration
Analytical work and advocacy in support of increased trade amongst nations to reduce widespread poverty and enhance sustainable development. Pursuit of regional integration through a development corridor approach and a focus on transboundary infrastructure.
• Trade Facilitation
How do we simplify and harmonize international trade processes and procedures? How do we remove non-trade barriersand choking tariffs? Can new technology and AI be deployed to augment transboundary transit cargo and enhance their integrity?
• Implementation Challenges of AfCFTA
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement has been signed and ratified by record number of countries. ECA has assisted African countries in developing national strategies and the AfCFTA Secretariat has been working hard to finalize processes and kickstart trade. But more structural and process challenges remain. How do we eliminate them in order to realize the lofty objectives of free trade?
• Natural Resources
Can Africa’s vast natural resources underpin its sustainable development and, crucially, domestic resource mobilization? What needs to be done to ensure success?
• Climate Change
Though Africa’s contributions to global green gas is negligible, the continent will be disproportionately impacted by climate change. Yet it does not have the resources to mitigate or adapt to climate change. What technical support is needed by Africa’s group of negotiators to ensure coherence with global agenda and Africa’s priorities in climate change?
• Development Planning
How do we ensure that development planning in African countries is effectively aligned with international and regional frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the African Union Agenda 2063.
• Water and Sanitation
Almost 800 million Africans lack access to basic sanitation, which UNICEF says, includes 208 million who defecate openly. Millions across the board lack access to clean water and while other parts of the world are making progress towards achieving SDG 6, Africa is not. How can we address this?
• Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure development is crucial to concrete progress in trade and overall improvement of livelihoods and sustainable development in Africa and elsewhere. Yet, only 43% of Africa’s population has access to all-season roads and only 53% of Africa’s roads are paved, according toAfDBwhich estimates that Africa would require $170 billion yearly by 2025 to meet its financial gap. How can we address this gap, promote private sector participation in regional transboundary infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of the Programme on Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) to enhance movement of goods and services in the context of AfCFTA?