The CFTA: Ensuring Inclusive Outcomes Through Boosting Intra-African Trade and Connectivity

ECA, OHCHR and the FES Geneva office are completing an ex-ante human rights-based assessment of the CFTA. This Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) considers, inter alia, food security, employment, and women’s rights as well as looking at detail on the CFTA’s possible impact on farmers, those engaged in agro-manufacturing and on informal cross-border traders; an important economic but mostly neglected part of African livelihoods. At this event, the results of the HRIA were presented as well as concrete recommendations for African governments and other stakeholders.

Speakers included James Thuo Gathii (Loyola University Chicago), David Luke (ECA), Deborah Vorhies (ICTSD), Simonetta Zarrilli (UNCTAD) and Rajesh Aggarwal (ITC).