African Union
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High hopes for the African Continental Free Trade Area
The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has come with high hopes for a boost in economic activity and development. But free trade agreements in themselves are no silver bullet for backward economies. Especially in Africa, institutional reform, infrastructure improvement and the reduction of nontariff barriers will be key for development to really gain momentum. Accomplishing those goals, however, could make many African regimes vulnerable.
Mediation helps start a fragile transition in Sudan
The fall of President Omar al-Bashir in Sudan can be seen as the demise of just another African strongman. Yet in a large state divided along complex ethnic, religious and political lines, his personalized tyranny made political stability possible. Now that is gone and an internationally mediated transition agreement is ...
In postelection DRC, transition looks like restoration
After delaying elections for two years, former DRC President Joseph Kabila hit upon a clever stratagem to resolve his “third-term” problem. Borrowing a page from Vladimir Putin’s book, he appears to have arranged for a stand-in, nominally from the opposition, to win the presidency in a manipulated ballot. Mr. Kabila ...
African migration: From polarization to win-win
With this year’s European Parliament elections, the EU may be approaching a watershed moment on migration. Voters and politicians are questioning the fundamental assumptions of globalized approaches like the UN Compact on Migration and the EU Trust Fund for Africa, which may do more to encourage than curb the migrant ...
Reforming the African Union
Bucking the world trend, Africa in 2018 was marked by important advances toward free movement, free trade and closer cooperation between states. The main advances were on the economic front, with the agreement to create a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). While trade liberalization has the potential to be transformative ...
