How African countries are boosting intra-African investment, with a view to sharing best practices among member States

Abstract

The main objective of the study is to analyze the drivers of boosting intra African investment flows. Its purpose is to provide a solid theoretical and empirical framework and thereby strengthen the basis for investment policy aimed at attracting intra-African investment. It is aimed at providing empirical evidence of the impact of investment flows on economic transformation and formulating evidence-based policy recommendations to boost intra-African investment flows. Among other things, the study also provides context for its findings with the progress being made in negotiating the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) and highlights the relevance of investment in the context of such negotiations. The study is intended to inform discussions by the Committee on Regional Cooperation and Integration at its current session on intra-African investment and on how the CFTA may be harnessed to promote greater coherence and coordination on investment regulation that may help to level the playing field for attracting greater investment from within the continent and beyond. The present report provides a summary of the key elements of the study, which has been peer-reviewed at an ad hoc Expert Group Meeting, in advance of the meeting of the Committee, and of complementary research and activities conducted under the subprogram on regional integration and trade.