Abstract
The central role of South–South RTAs in the workings of African economies cannot be overemphasized. It provides strategic and significantly productive investment opportunities for the African businesses by increasing the benefits to regional trade liberalization and contributing to job creation, wealth accumulation and macroeconomic transformation. This concluding chapter briefly examines the basic pitfalls in Africa-related South–South RTAs processes, and also presents the understanding for South–South RTAs research agenda as well as the motivation for relevant economic policy direction in Africa.
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Notes
- 1.
Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs).
- 2.
The list of the 14 landlocked countries in Africa include: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, South Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- 3.
Most Favoured Nation (MFN) remains the vital cornerstone of the multilateral trading system. Though south-south RTAs are beneficial to it members, it effectively excludes other economies contrary to the WTO’s most favoured nation principle, which mandates equal treatment for all trading partners.
- 4.
See AUC Decision AU/TD/CFTA/AP/DSF (I): Draft strategic framework for the implementation of the action plan for boosting intra-African trade and for establishing the continental free trade area, 2012.
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Odularu, G. (2017). Conclusion: Emerging Issues, Strategic Priorities for South–South RTAs Research, and Economic Policy Directions for Africa. In: Odularu, G., Adekunle, B. (eds) Negotiating South-South Regional Trade Agreements. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45569-3_10
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