The development of trade transit corridors in Africa's landlocked countries

Abstract

Africa has 15 landlocked countries that face specific challenges. Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have no direct coastal access to the sea and thus also to maritime trade and therefore face very specific challenges. The lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets and high transit costs continue to impose serious constraints on the overall socio-economic development of landlocked developing countries.