African Case Stories: A Snapshot of Aid for Trade on the Ground in Africa

1. African Case Stories: A Snapshot of Aid for Trade on the Ground in Africa Stephen Karingi Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade Division United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

2. Contents • Aid for Trade Flows to Africa • Overview of the Case Stories Sample • African Case Stories • Lessons and Emerging Best Practices • Conclusions 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

3. AfT Flows to Africa • AfT to Africa enjoys continuing growth, with no apparent fall off following the global economic crisis and no signs of diversion from other ODA. AfT and ODA Commitments to Africa 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

4. AfT Flows to Africa • What’s more, Africa now supersedes Asia as the principal regional recipient of AfT. AfT Commitments by Region 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

5. AfT Flows to Africa • Economic infrastructure continues to enjoy the largest share of AfT to Africa, closely followed by building productive capacity. AfT by Broad Sectors Commitments Disbursements 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

6. AfT Flows to Africa The magnitude of AfT commitments varies massively across African countries… 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

7. AfT Flows to Africa … The same is true for the different regions across Africa… 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

8. AfT Flows to Africa … But the picture is different for AfT analysed on a per capita basis 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

9. Overview of the Case Stories Sample • Of the 269 case stories submitted to the WTO, 114 pertain to Africa. • The 37 case stories from member States came from 31 different countries, and 8 regional entities also contributed. 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

10. Overview of the Case Stories Sample 32 of the 33 African LDCs were cited in at least one case story. 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

11. African Case Stories • Relative to its small share of AfT flows, Case Stories on Trade Policy and Regulations received a disproportionate share of those submitted. • Trade Education and/or Training: Focus on strengthening negotiation capacities. Training of Trainers featured heavily • Trade policy and Administrative Management: Characterized by the necessary regulatory or procedural changes required to accommodate trade reforms emanating from WTO commitments e.g. Gambia and the West African Quality Programme • Trade Facilitation: Emphasis on the regional integration dimension of trade facilitation e.g. Zambia and Zimbabwe on the Chirundu One Stop Border Post 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

12. Case Stories Submitted by African Member States • Recurring issues in the Building Productive Capacities categories include: • Linking trade to poverty reduction targets • Food security considerations • Increasing market access or export diversification • Standardization of procedures and production • Promotion of lucrative activities with high value addition potential. • Morocco’s National Programme of Rural Transport, supported by the AfDB and AFD, was the only case study on Economic Infrastructuresubmitted by an African member State. 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

13. Case Stories Submitted by African Member States • Several case stories on Processes concentrated on the various stages on EIF. Other member States’ case stories include: • Gabon’s experience mainstreaming trade • A technical assistance project led by the ITC to promote trade in services in Niger • Mauritius’ struggle to attract AfT to support trade reforms and adjustment costs • the ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement Development Programme • The UNECA’s case story documenting on the impact of AfT on specific binding constraints was a notable contribution on AfT Appoaches for the whole continent. 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

14. Lessons and Emerging Best Practices • Factors of success cited in AfT case stories: 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

15. Lessons and Emerging Best Practices Factors posing problems in AfT case stories: 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

16. Lessons and Emerging Best Practices • AfT case stories report impacts in many areas, although the number of case stories (45 of 114) not reporting any impact is concerning. AfT case stories reporting on impacts of AfT 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

17. Conclusions • The momentum of AfT supplies to Africa continues to be maintained with no signs of diversion of resources from non-AfT • A few countries and regions appear to receive a disproportionate share, but per capita AfT tells another story • The focus of disbursements has been on economic infrastructure but a great majority of the case stories focus on other AfT categories • Member States’ case stories do not fully reflect regional aspects of AfT • Case stories from regional organizations prioritize interventions to address supply side constraints with a regional integration dimension • Widely accepted M&E mechanisms need further development 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana

18. Thank you for your kind attention Stephen Karingi skaringi@uneca.org www.uneca.org/atpc 7th Ordinary Session of the AU Ministers of Trade, November 2011, Accra, Ghana