Sections

Research

Dawn of a second Cold War and the ‘scramble for Africa’

Adopting a united approach to security promotion is crucial if continent is to achieve its economic aims

China's President Xi Jinping walks on before his speech during the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing September 3, 2018. Madoka Ikegami/POOL Via REUTERS

Abstract

Ample empirical evidence shows that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will boost the competitiveness of African economies and accelerate the diversification of sources of growth and trade to deepen economic integration in Africa and enhance the region’s assimilation into the world economy. However, realizing these potentials hinges on reversing the current trend of rising insecurity heightened by proxy wars in the new age of great power rivalries. This paper outlines policy options that draw on the political and trade economies of scale to optimize the allocation of scarce resources and strengthen the security and development nexus to implement the AfCFTA successfully for lasting peace and prosperity in Africa.

Download the full report

 

Author