Background Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) are among the main obstacles to trade between African countries. These regulatory and procedural barriers include customs operations and border documentation requirements, rules of origin documentation, pre-shipment inspections, transport regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs). Although the negative impact of these measures on intra-regional trade is recognised, thus far...Read More

Investor-State dispute settlement and developing countries Martha Getachew Bekele The inclusion of investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in international investment agreements may end up undermining public welfare, particularly in developing countries. From ‘regulatory chill’ to huge legal fees, ISDS shrinks the regulatory space of developing countries unless negotiators consider a range of options. This short...Read More