The tenth edition of the report on Assessing Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA X) is on the theme: “Africa’s services trade liberalization and integration under the AfCFTA”. The report seeks to deepen understanding and appreciation of the critical role of services to trade production and the economy in Africa. It critically analyzes the types of approaches to liberalization of trade in services and regional regulatory cooperation under the AfCFTA which have the most potential to support Africa’s development including through the enhancement of intra-African trade in services enabling of better and more effective integration into regional and global value chains the enforcement of both public and privates sector capacities and overall greater competitiveness in an increasingly digitalizing global economy.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) promises to give a significant boost to the continent’s economy and in particular to support industrialization and structural transformation. In this context the 8th edition of Assessing Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA VIII) looks at what will be needed to ensure that the CFTA is implemented and that iintra-African trade plays a more dynamic role in contributing to economic transformation in Africa. Drawing on political economy analysis the report analyses what kind of institutional set-up will be needed to ensure the CFTA’s implementation as well as the capacity development needs at the national regional economic community and continental levels. The report also provides an update on the expected benefits of the CFTA’s implementation as well as the usual chapter on the status of regional integration in Africa.

The publication seeks to address the pressing issues that are negatively affecting trade amongst African countries. It undertakes a comprehensive empirical analysis of intra-African trade to determine why it has remained consistently low over the past decades. The report proposes concrete recommendations to be implemented by member States Regional Economic Communities (RECs) members of the private-sector and other stakeholders in Africa’s development. It also analyses the various policy issues and other factors that have affected intra-African trade.

This report provides a comprehensive evaluation of the state of Africa’s integration process showing where efforts have succeeded or failed including why intra African trade remains low; and how lack of macro-economic policy convergence and insufficient infrastructures hamper integration.