Rules of Origin, Value Chains and African Development under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement

Title data

Ajibo, Collins Chikodili ; Kaime, Thokozani:
Rules of Origin, Value Chains and African Development under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.
In: Journal of African Law. Vol. 69 (2025) Issue 2 . - pp. 179-195.
ISSN 1464-3731
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021855324000329

Project information

Abstract in another language

Rules of origin under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement constitute a vital trade instrument that forestalls freeriding by ensuring that only originating products and services benefit from preferential treatment within the free trade area. Functional rules of origin in design and implementation foster the sourcing of value content by producers, manufacturers and enterprises within Africa in accordance with the governing treaty. The sourcing of value content by producers, manufacturers and enterprises within Africa promotes economic activities, measured industrialization and socio-economic development. While the AfCFTA Agreement recognizes the capacities of both rules of origin and regional value chains, each standing alone or acting in a complementary manner to promote African development, a successful outcome will be determined by a critical adjustment that improves capacity and capability. Arguably, state parties to the AfCFTA Agreement should implement strategies for upscaling preference utilization and value chain growth, infrastructural investment and interventions that stimulate value chain trade.