Feasibility study of the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)

Abstract

The potential establishment on an African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in the near future, is attracting significant attention at the regional as well as global level given the contributions it stands to make. Hence, this study has three major purposes: 1) to investigate the African Union’s organizational structure to determine its capabilities to accommodate this initiative; 2) to investigate alternative channels for sustainable economic growth alongside global competitiveness and lastly 3) demonstrate the relationship between trade and peace as a mechanism to guarantee peace within the continent. Data for this research were obtained through secondary literature provided by scholars, international organizations and local government’s database. In light of this research’s results, it can be concluded that significant work still needs to be attained at a national and regional level in order to successfully integrate member states into one continental free trade agreement.