This book explores the regulatory, institutional, and policy frameworks needed to enable the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to be effective. It examines the opportunities of African free trade and how it can advance regional integration and sustained economic growth on the African continent. It highlights the potential for trade and investment within Africa, and the ways in which the AfCFTA can help the continent overcome development challenges and create a more dynamic economy that generates jobs and alleviates poverty. 

This book sets out a policy framework to enable the effective establishment of the AfCFTA and economic development within Africa. It will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in development economics and international trade.

Laura Páez is a Senior Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa