Trading up: how international trade and efficient domestic markets can contribute to African development

This brief examines market access in the context of international trade and related domestic policies in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The brief finds that policies affecting trade arise at three levels:

• multilateral forum of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
• regional trade agreements (RTAs)
• unilateral decisions of nations

At each level, key questions can be asked, such as: what are the highest African priorities for a new WTO agricultural agreement; how important are the tariffs and other barriers to trade among African countries; and, what trade policies best serve a country?

The brief concludes that there is no silver bullet that will create optimal trade policy for nations in Africa or elsewhere. But guidelines for progress emerge from an examination of the options available. In this brief we highlight issues at each level; addressing them is the challenge ahead. [adapted from author]