Africa captures a sizeable share and has a significant place in the world economy. The continent has a large domestic market that possesses important opportunities and challenges for international trade. Even though Africa still only has 2% of world trade, international trade is key to Africa’s economic growth because trade is vital to the continent’s economic future. However, Africa still faces capacity challenges or constraints in international trade. These include small domestic markets, high costs of transportation, higher commodity prices, and headline inflation. Other restraints to trade relate to low capability to negotiate trade agreements, limited funds for research and development, deficits in meeting multilateral trading commitments, and deficits in market access. As a result, the low performance in trade facilitation indicators hampers the development of intra-African trade. Therefore, many African countries underperform in linear shipping connectivity, e-commerce, and doing business indicators. The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate that stronger connections between trade activities and the protection of human rights are critical for sustainable economic development in African countries. Trade and human rights are interconnected as trade offers opportunities for increasing peoples’ enjoyment of human rights including their right to development. International trade is a means to increase the resources available to States for advancing human rights and has positive effects on poverty reduction. The chapter argues that Africa’s marginalisation in the international trade system leads to specific human rights violations both for individuals and nation-states. Given its potential to create an integrated, more productive, and competitive market, the internationalisation of trade is a sign of progress and economic growth. The chapter urges African governments to match their national laws with international human rights frameworks, prioritise the protection of vulnerable and marginalised trade stakeholders, and expedite the development and strengthen the implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs) on business and human rights. Therefore, Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should commit to increasing its financial support for growth-enhancing regional infrastructure. They should also call for a shift from bilateral agreements to commitments with “economic zones” that link the economic interests of leading and lagging countries in these RECs. African countries must undertake ambitious domestic structural reforms to increase the continent’s supply capacity. This will require improved digital and physical connectivity, smart macroeconomic management through stable and competitive exchange rates, low inflation, and more effective regulatory and legal institutions.

Human Rights and the International Governance of Unfair Trade Policies Towards Africa

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发表日期：

2025年

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Christophe Dongmo

摘要

Africa captures a sizeable share and has a significant place in the world economy. The continent has a large domestic market that possesses important opportunities and challenges for international trade. Even though Africa still only has 2% of world trade, international trade is key to Africa’s economic growth because trade is vital to the continent’s economic future. However, Africa still faces capacity challenges or constraints in international trade. These include small domestic markets, high costs of transportation, higher commodity prices, and headline inflation. Other restraints to trade relate to low capability to negotiate trade agreements, limited funds for research and development, deficits in meeting multilateral trading commitments, and deficits in market access. As a result, the low performance in trade facilitation indicators hampers the development of intra-African trade. Therefore, many African countries underperform in linear shipping connectivity, e-commerce, and doing business indicators. The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate that stronger connections between trade activities and the protection of human rights are critical for sustainable economic development in African countries. Trade and human rights are interconnected as trade offers opportunities for increasing peoples’ enjoyment of human rights including their right to development. International trade is a means to increase the resources available to States for advancing human rights and has positive effects on poverty reduction. The chapter argues that Africa’s marginalisation in the international trade system leads to specific human rights violations both for individuals and nation-states. Given its potential to create an integrated, more productive, and competitive market, the internationalisation of trade is a sign of progress and economic growth. The chapter urges African governments to match their national laws with international human rights frameworks, prioritise the protection of vulnerable and marginalised trade stakeholders, and expedite the development and strengthen the implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs) on business and human rights. Therefore, Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should commit to increasing its financial support for growth-enhancing regional infrastructure. They should also call for a shift from bilateral agreements to commitments with “economic zones” that link the economic interests of leading and lagging countries in these RECs. African countries must undertake ambitious domestic structural reforms to increase the continent’s supply capacity. This will require improved digital and physical connectivity, smart macroeconomic management through stable and competitive exchange rates, low inflation, and more effective regulatory and legal institutions.