African perspectives on the WTO and prospects for regional trade cooperation

Among the challenges confronting the global trade landscape today, Africa aspires to a leadership role in the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is also preparing to leverage the newly minted African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to reignite trade and investment in a market with a combined GDP exceeding US$2.5 trillion and a population of 1.3 billion people. Is a new African voice on trade emerging? How does Africa view WTO reform and how could it contribute to strengthening global trade cooperation? How can the AfCFTA help Africa recover from the pandemic? Joining this episode of Trade Winds were:

Host:

Anabel González
Nonresident Senior Fellow

Guests:

• Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa

• Robert Z. Lawrence, Professor of International Trade and Investment, Harvard Kennedy School, and Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics.