A continental market does not automatically translate into preferential trade for every African manufacturer. For a product to receive preferential treatment under AfCFTA, it must satisfy the applicable Rules of Origin. The AfCFTA Rules of Origin framework provides criteria for…
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Introduction Africa’s textile and apparel industry does not suffer from a complete absence of market opportunity. African producers have access to regional markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while eligible countries have benefited…
Thursday, September 17, 2026 How digital origin verification, interoperable customs systems, and better trade data could reduce transaction costs and strengthen regional textile and apparel value chains. Introduction Rules of Origin establish the conditions under which a product can be…
Tuesday, September, 15, 2026 Introduction The logic of a free trade agreement appears straightforward in reducing tariffs, opening markets and allowing businesses to trade more easily across borders. For Africa, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is intended to…
The final question may be the most important because AfCFTA implementation is not the responsibility of a single institution. A cross-border textile shipment may interact with customs authorities, standards agencies, ministries of trade, ports, border agencies, transport providers, financial institutions…
One of the least visible costs of African trade is the cost of time. A shipment that takes four days instead of two does not only arrive two days later. The delay can affect inventory, working capital, warehouse requirements, production…
If customs inefficiencies represent one source of friction, non-tariff barriers represent another. Tariffs are relatively easy to identify and quantify. Non-tariff barriers can be embedded within the regulatory systems through which businesses must operate; licensing requirements, technical standards, certification procedures,…
The first test of AfCFTA happens at the border. A trade agreement may establish preferential access between African economies, but businesses experience that agreement through customs procedures, documentation requirements, inspections, clearance times, and the predictability of moving goods from one…
Wednesday, September 09, 2026 Introduction For an apparel manufacturer, completing production is only one part of fulfilling an order. Once garments leave the factory, they still have to move through a chain of transport, documentation, customs clearance, border controls, warehousing,…
Friday, September 4, 2026 Introduction The African Continental Free Trade Area has changed the ambition of African economic integration. By creating a framework for reducing tariffs and establishing preferential access across a continental market, AfCFTA offers African manufacturers an opportunity…