Support to the Boosting Intra-African Trade Action Plan to Reduce Poverty

This project aims to promote trade among African countries to reduce poverty generate economic ?growth create jobs and increase food security. ?The initiative undertaken with the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) based at the United Nations Economic Commission ?for Africa supports the African Union’s Boosting Intra-African Trade Action Plan and the process of economic integration. This includes the Continental Free Trade Area. In the implementation of the project the ATPC aims to partner with a consortium of Canadian centres of trade expertise led by the Centre for Trade Policy and Law. Project activities include: (1) supporting national governments and Regional Economic ?Communities (RECs) to develop and implement their Boosting Intra-African Trade action plans; (2) ?establishing the African Agricultural Market Information Systems Network that gathers analyzes and ?shares information about prices and other information relevant to farmers animal rearers traders ?processors and others involved in handling agricultural products;? ?(3) delivering training workshops ?and technical assistance to national government and RECs; and (4) conducting assessment studies on a ?number of key issues such as the state of intra-African trade and disseminating results.?

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved implementation and monitoring of inclusive trade reforms action plans and regulations by Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and national governments to reduce barriers to trade in Africa. This includes the reduction of barriers for women entrepreneurs and traders; (2) reduced gender discrimination related to trade policies and their implementation at African Union (AU) REC and national levels; and (3) increased participation of private sector operators and civil society organizations including women entrepreneurs traders and organizations in regional and continental dialogues on the AU's trade agenda.