Building a sustainable and inclusive Continental Free Trade Area nine priority recommendations from a human rights perspective

Abstract

This brief presents recommendations emerging from the impact assessment, the results of which were published in July 2017. It is being made available to African trade negotiators, officials and ministers with the aim of ensuring that the gains from the CFTA positively contribute to addressing human rights concerns on the continent. The timing of the brief is important, because it comes at the same time as rising skepticism towards regional integration and trade agreements, as witnessed by the Brexit vote in the UK and rising populist anti-trade attitudes elsewhere in Europe and in the US. These manifestations of anti-globalization sentiments have largely been driven by peoples’ concerns that the benefits of trade and globalization have not been fairly distributed. There is a growing effort by civil society and others around the world to scrutinize the details of trade agreements to ensure fairness and equity. In this context, it is critical that Africa takes efforts to guarantee an inclusive CFTA.