Can the African Continental Free Trade Area be a Catalyst for the Triple Nexus of Humanitarian, Development and Peace Challenges in Africa?

Abstract

Worldwide and in Africa in particular complex and protracted crises are deepening, resulting in an increase of violent conflicts, humanitarian suffering, political instability, and destruction of social and economic infrastructure. In many parts of Africa, conflict, political violence, climate change, and food insecurity are converging to forcibly displace more people than ever. In 2023, eight of the worst humanitarian crises out of 20 identified by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) occurred in fragile African countries with limited capacity to respond to humanitarian emergencies. Today’s crises are increasingly long-lasting, recurring, complicated, and interdependent. Existing approaches to address them have proven largely ineffective. Against this background, and in view of the growing gap between humanitarian needs and the resources provided, the imperative is recognized for multisectoral approaches that tackle short-term needs while aiming to provide long-term solutions that contribute to lasting peace. This report explores the contribution of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to addressing issues in the “Triple Nexus”— also called the Humanitarian, Development, and Peace (HDP) Nexus—by promoting trade and other, related forms of economic integration for promoting sustainable and inclusive development. This report provides important pointers on what needs to be done for trade and other, related forms of economic development, specifically the AfCFTA, to positively impact the Triple Nexus. Drawing on a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis in chapter 4 and using the AfCFTA as a tool, the report recommends the adoption of several trade-related measures that will simultaneously address the three sectors of the Triple Nexus.