DevDispatch Podcast

AfCFTA National Implementation Committees: Scoping options and support mechanisms

Welcome to this installment of the DevDispatch Podcast! In this episode, Olusegun Olutayo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/olusegun-olutayo-85b98446/] - a member of the technical team that supports the National Action Committee in Nigeria, delves into the intricacies of establishing and operating National Implementation Committees within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  The reference publication for the discussion is "AfCFTA National Implementation Committees: Scoping Options and Support Mechanisms [https://odi.cdn.ngo/media/documents/ODI-AfCFTA-Report-18Apr23-FINAL.pdf]," released in 2023 by the ODI. The report serves as a valuable resource offering detailed guidance on how countries can navigate the complexities of trade policy implementation under the AfCFTA framework.

Implications of the AfCFTA for the manufacturing sector in Ghana

In this episode, we are joined by Labor Activists Prince Asafo-Adjei [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prince-asafo-adjei-9b118617b/overlay/about-this-profile/] and Florence Taruvinga [https://www.linkedin.com/in/florence-mucha-taruvinga-79694a21/?originalSubdomain=zw] to discuss implications of the AfCFTA for the manufacturing sector in Ghana. The discussion draws from  Chapter 5 and 6 of the report 'Implications of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement for the manufacturing sector in Ghana [https://www.tradeunionsinafcfta.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trade-unions-and-AfCFTA-in-Ghana.pdf],' published in November 2021 by the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa). It focuses on the potential impact of AfCFTA on employment and workers' rights in Ghana, highlighting the need for policies to ensure that workers benefit from the agreement as well as the role of trade unions in supporting the manufacturing sector under AfCFTA, including the need for capacity building and advocacy for workers' rights. Enjoy it!

Digital Trade Policies in African Countries

This podcast episode features Emily Mburu-Ndoria - Director, Trade in Services, Investment, IPR and Digital Trade - AfCFTA Secretariat, who joins our hostRumbidzai Venge to discuss the report titled Digital trade regulatory environment: Opportunities for regulatory harmonization in Africa. [https://repository.uneca.org/bitstream/handle/10855/49965/b12038751.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y]  Some of the main themes of the report include: * The significance of domestic policies, such as data and consumer protection laws, in creating a favorable environment for digital trade.  * The role of international agreements, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) Reference Paper on Telecommunications and UNCITRAL Model Laws on Electronic Commerce and Electronic Signatures, in enhancing cross-border interoperability.  The report introduces a beta version of the digital trade policy index, which aims to summarize the policy environment on digital trade in various countries and more! Our expert guest breaks down topics including the current state of Digital Trade in Africa encompassing the challenges and opportunities, regulatory frameworks, the Digital Trade Index and potential opportunities for regulatory harmonization in Africa's digital trade regulatory environment. The episode was recorded before adoption of the digital trade protocol under the AfCFTA. We hope you find this episode insightful!

The Engine of Trade

This podcast episode features Susan Nakaleya, a business analyst at the Uganda Revenue Authority. The discussion centers on Chapter 4 of the publication The Engine of Trade in Africa Report: Amplifying the Voices of Women Across Africa, which focuses on the challenges facing women in trade. It is a joint publication of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women.  The objectives of this episode include: * To contextualize the report within the current debates on women in trade: Does it address the key issues? Are there other critical aspects that need further exploration? * To analyze the challenges facing women in trade across Africa as highlighted in the report. * To propose key suggestions for the development of the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade (WYIT). * To discuss the recommendations put forward in the report and offer additional strategies to enhance the inclusion of women in the AfCFTA framework. You can download the publication here [https://africa.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/Engine%20of%20Trade%20in%20Africa%20report%20Amplifying%20the%20voices%20of%20women%20across%20Africa%20on%20how%20to%20make%20the%20AfCFTA%20Protocol%20on%20Women%20and%20Youth%20in%20Tra.pdf] We hope you enjoy this episode and find it insightful!

Opening up Africa for Africans

This episode focuses on a 2023 policy brief from the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute, titled 'Movement of person opening up Africa for Africans: A proposal in support of the protocol for the free movement of persons [https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/286aaa79-1eca-11ee-806b-01aa75ed71a1/language-en].' The policy brief  examines significant obstacles to implementing the Free Movement of Persons Protocol (FMP) in Africa. Guests include co-author of the brief, Silindile Nanzile Mlilo and Kachi Madubuko, Senior Policy and Liaison Officer at the International Organization for Migration, with the discussion moderated by Rumbidzai Venge. The conversation covers various topics, including: * Barriers impeding the progress of the FMP; * The African Union's initiative to launch a common AU passport in 2016; * Factors contributing to the slow ratification process of the protocol; * How smaller economic groups, like the EAC, have quickly advanced in promoting free movement; * The impact of security and job concerns on implementation, and whether the AfCFTA can succeed without the FMP.  * Potential benefits of less restrictive mobility rules for entrepreneurs highlighted in the policy brief and more! We hope you find this episode insightful!