Collaborative Research - Trade Project

AFRICA AND THE WORLD TRADING SYSTEM
Project Description
Africa's economic links with the rest of the world, particularly the region's role and participation in the emerging global trading system, give rise to important policy issues that have hitherto not received adequate research focus and whose implications have remained little explored and inadequately understood. The AERC research project titled "Africa and the World Trading System" attempted to identify and clarify these issues as well as to show how research can assist in designing appropriate policy responses to the challenges that they pose for African countries.

The framework component of the project explored the following issues

• Why African countries have not been active or assertive participants in the various multilateral negotiations that have shaped the global trading system, its key institutions, rules and operational modalities.

• How the rules of the global trading system impinge on Africa's development options.

• How the system might be used to enhance Africa's economic growth and sustainable development.

In turn, the project's case study component, which covers eight countries, focused on the following national level issues:

• Analysis of the changes in the country's external market conditions resulting from multilateral trade agreements and an assessment of their impact.

• Review of how the new World Trade Organization (WTO) disciplines constrain national policy autonomy and whether domestic policies are compatible with the WTO rules

• Analysis of the country's capacity to fulfil its WTO obligations, assert its rights and participate effectively in the WTO process.

• Examination of the country's interests and priorities in future multilateral trade negotiations.

By deliberate design, the project brought together a team of experienced African and non-African researchers and policy analysts to address these important policy issues. They used rigorous analytical and empirical research methodologies to produce high quality and credible results.

AWTS Country Case Studies
	INTRODUCTION Africa and the World Trading System Country Case Studies Edited by Ademola Oyejide and Dominique Njinkeu
	Ghana The Uruguay Round and Ghana, by Abena D. Oduro and Kassim Yahya
	Côte d'Ivoire The Case of Côte d'Ivoire, by Dr. Kouassy Oussou and Prof. Kanvaly Diomandé
	Kenya A Case study of Kenya, by Francis M. Mwega and Kefa L. Muga
	Mauritius The Case of Mauritius, by N. Boodhoo and B. Dabee
	Nigeria Nigeria and the World Trading System, by Y. F. Agah
	South Africa South Africa in the World Trading System, by and Rashad Cassim
	Uganda Trade Policy, Manufacturing Efficiency and Exports in Uganda by, Louis Kasekende, Charles Abuka and Patrick K. Asea