Trade logistics and infrastructure key to unlock Africa’s trade potential

Abstract

Transport in Africa takes much longer and is more expensive than other parts of the world. Improved trade logistics and infrastructure will unlock Africa’s trade potential, says transport and logistics experts. The experts from across Africa, Europe, and the USA, in the fields of transportation, infrastructure, logistics, trade, and economic development, met virtually to validate the logistics hypotheses for member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in the Decision Support Model (DSM). The workshop focus was on Modelling export opportunities for Central Africa: validating of logistics-related hypotheses in the DSM model. The logistics hypotheses validation was a fundamental step in the development of a DSM model for the Central African Region, which will identify new opportunities at the HS-6 level across markets. With a focus on deepening regional integration, trade opportunities will focus on regional possibilities.