The Palgrave Handbook of International Trade and Development in Africa

This book explores the intricate activities and systems that underpin international trade and development in Africa. The relationship between trade and economic performance is analysed, with a particular emphasis on financial development, trade liberalization, and the welfare implications of FTA. A critical reflection of international trade and development in Africa is provided that highlights how institutions that govern the international trade system, largely found in the Global North, have enabled developed countries to benefit most from African trade. Emerging issues, such as FDI, the COVID-19 pandemic, the gendered nature of trade, remittances, and digital trade, are also discussed.

This book aims to examine how Africa can play a more active role international trade and how the trade systems can be altered to help drive economic growth and development in Africa. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in development and African economics.

Part I: Overview.- 1. Introduction to International Trade and Development in Africa.- Part II: General Background and Governing Issues.- 2. Africa’s New Landscape for Doing Business: The African Continental Free Trade Area.- 3. Impact of Political and Legal Environments on International Trade.- 4. Trade and The Labour Market in Africa.- 5. Structure, Composition and Trends in African Trade.- 6. Energy and International Trade in Africa.- Part III: Trade Finance and Payment Systems.- 7. An African Exchange Rate Mechanism in the era of an African Continental Free Trade Area.- 8. The Dynamics of International Trade Finance in Africa.- 9. The Economics of Structured Trade Finance in Africa.- 10. Development Finance Institutions and Trade Promotion in Africa.- 11. Payment and Settlement Systems and the African Continental Free Trade Area.- 12. National Payment System in South Africa and Cross-Border Payment and Settlement Systems in Africa.- Part IV: Trade and Economic Performance.- 13. Macroeconomic and Welfare Implications of FTAs: the Harnessing Role of Trade Infrastructure - the Case of AfCFTA.- 14. Trade Liberalization and Economic Growth.- 15. Services-led Development as an Option for Africa.- 16. Commodity Exports and Economic Transformation in Africa.- 17. Financial Development and International Trade.- Part V: Emerging Issues.-18. Foreign Direct Investment and International Trade in Africa.- 19. Remittances and International Trade in Africa.- 20. Gender and Trade in Africa.- 21. The Effect of Pandemics on Trade: Case of Covid-19.- 22. E-commerce and Digital Trade in Africa.- 23. Infrastructure, Connectivity and Trade in Africa.- 24.Trade Facilitation in Africa: A Review of Concepts and Empirical Facts.- 25. Curbing IFFs through Trade Mis-Invoicing and Transfer Mispricing in Africa.

Matthew Kofi Ocran is an economist and a Professor of Economics at the University of Western Cape. He is a Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences. Matthew was previously Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of the Western Cape. He has served on expert panels for the Economic Commission for Africa and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism’s Ad hoc Committee on Credit Ratings. Matthew has also held Visiting Scholar positions at the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank.

 

Joshua Yindenaba Abor is a financial economist, Professor of Finance and former Dean at the University of Ghana Business School. He is an External Fellow at the Centre for Global Finance, SOAS University of London. He served as Afreximbank Research Fellow and has also held Visiting Scholar positions at the IMF. He is a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Ghana.