ISDS Case Map
Africa
The Ministerial Directive of the AfCFTA 7th Meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade provided a legal basis for the 29 countries that had submitted their tariff schedules in accordance with the agreed modalities to trade preferentially amongst themselves.
It will be recalled that the AfCFTA agreement has been tipped to create the largest free trade area in the world measured by the number of countries participating.
The pursuit of a new trade pact between Washington and Kenya is eliciting old fears on whether it could hurt adherence to obligations under the East African Community, and hence continental ambitions for more commerce.
Tough negotiations are happening behind the scenes between African governments to hammer out differences in their localisation and industrial protection policies in respect of the aims of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to liberalise trade between the countries.
Kenya is hoping for a temporary trade partnership before establishing a fully-fledged trade deal with the United States, Citizen Digital news portal reported, citing outgoing Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina.
In recent years, in certain investment arbitration proceedings, States have brought counterclaims alleging that foreign investors had failed to comply with corporate social responsibility principles. In all but two cases, these counterclaims have been unsuccessful.
An African supply chain that makes it difficult to move goods by water from Cameroon to Nigeria but easy to move goods from Cameroon to China and other countries is a threat to the regional integration plan.
The East African Community (EAC) partner states have been challenged to increase their volume of transactions under regional and international trade agreements.
Ghana’s export sector is said to be making giant strides as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority about two months ago announced a $3.3 billion increase in non-traditional export earnings for 2021.
“Actual trading is starting between Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Tunisia and Ghana. In the coming weeks, the dream of our forebears will be off the ground, and historic as the moment may be.”
