Cross-sectoral Dimensions of the AfCFTA and African Trade Regimes: Negotiations and Implementation Issues.

This course looks into interrelated implementation, legal, regulatory and policy design aspects of the AfCFTA and African regional trade regimes. It contextualizes these issues within negotiation and implementation capacities of AU members.  It goes beyond classical structure of trade agreements, which classifies subject matter into sectors (i.e. trade in good, trade in services, investment facilitation etc.) and identifies synergies and key issues that are normally treated as grey areas among these subject matters.

The course further conceptualizes interrelationships of the various intra and inter-agreement technical subject matter that are key and necessary to have economically big and small AU Members to competently negotiate, express and define their interests and beneficially implement the negotiated outcomes. By the same token, it takes evidence-based approach in assessing beneficial implementation viability of the AfCFTA and African trade regimes.

Objectives of the Course

The objectives of the course are to:

• Create conceptual and practical links of intra-AfCFTA and African RTAs provisions with a view to identifying intra-agreement synergies and complementarities
• Establish conceptual and practical links between key agreements and protocols under the AfCFTA with a view to providing a holistic view of the policy and market level complementarities of these agreements and protocols
• Provide an understanding of the interdependent workings of various aspects of the agreement with special focus on the confluence of its legal, regulatory and policy aspects
• Relate the structural relationships of the provisions of specialized aspects of trade agreements and the collective relationship of agreements in African RTAs

Expected outcomes of the course

• Understanding cross-sectoral relationships of intra-AfCTA provisions and its broader relationship with REC level trading regimes’ liberalization mechanisms and provisions
• Conceptualize the implications of AfCFTA’s Protocols on trade in goods provisions and their interrelationships, e.g.
  • Provisions on trade concessions, Rules of Origin and tariff commitments, sensitive and excluded products, MFN, national treatment, exceptions and exemptions, trade remedies,
  • Enforcement measures
  • Transitional periods
  • NTMs/NTBs including SPS and TBTs etc.

Conceptualize the relationship of AfCFTA and African RTA’s Protocols and/or agreements on Trade in Services and their transactional interrelationships with the agreement on trade in goods including agricultural and non-agricultural goods. 

Fees and other costs

The fee for the programme will be payable in US dollars and will cover tuition, presentation material and other documentation. It also includes lunch and refreshments during each working day. Discounts are available for every 2 or more delegates registered from the same institution.

Course Fee: $1,300

Venue: Mombasa, Kenya. However, subject agreement with clients, the course may be offered in any of the following venues: Kampala, Uganda, Mombasa, Kenya; Nairobi Kenya; Zanzibar; Arusha, Tanzania and Dubai.

Dates: 22 May 2023

How to apply

Prospective participants should apply by filling the form below.

Inquiries

For any inquiries, kindly write to admissions@trapca.org