A unified approach needs to be adopted by all 55 of the countries that form part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to reach its initial 2035 target of increasing GDP across the continent by $450-billion, Midlands State University and University of Zimbabwe researcher Edmore Chijoko said during the launch of the New African Thinkers: Trade and Sustainability Under the African Continental Free Trade book.

The book launch took place on July 9 at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in South Africa.

Chijoko explained that, looking at the statistics, the AfCFTA is a single market representing 1.2-billion people. It is larger than both the North American Free Trade Agreement and the EU single markets.

“Combined with a GDP of $3.4-trillion, the AfCFTA has the financial weight to transform Africa's position in the global economy,” he stressed.

The book compiled by a range of authors, researchers and scholars from across the African continent and India, explores what challenges the development of the African continent faces and how these can be addressed through collaboration and investment.

KEY POINTS

During the book launch, keynote speaker UJ lecturer and professor Siphamandla Zondi highlighted that the book’s research could be used to identify obstacles and opportunities, inform policy and practice toward 2035, and ultimately the 2063 vision, as well as catalyse practical partnerships, dialogues and community‑level actions to align AfCFTA implementation with African peoples’ needs.

Zondi stressed that an Africa-led, coherent strategy on sustainable trade would align with the continent’s realities, balancing growth, industrialisation and environmental goals.

Zondi emphasised promoting regional value chains across sectors such as minerals, agriculture, and manufacturing to boost local processing, jobs, and value capture.

On climate, Zondi urged Africa to develop resilient trade policies, leverage green industrialisation, and turn climate action into a competitive advantage.

Additionally, Zondi pointed out that in terms of food security and agriculture, policies that foster sustainable, resilient farming and export growth without compromising local needs are required.

Zondi questioned how trade could support a just energy transition by developing renewable industries, ensuring resource-rich countries avoid exploitation, and building local value.

Lastly, Zondi highlighted the importance of digital trade, AI, and inclusion – aiming for infrastructure and governance that enable broad participation, poverty reduction, and sustainable growth through innovation, and ensuring local value capture so that transitions do not become new instances of exploitation.

Zondi concluded that it was crucial to use research to drive practical action, stating that “this work must also be used to go to communities, to go to non-governmental organisations, to go to actors out there, and question how we use this to catalyse new actions, new partnerships, new interfaces, new ways of working together”.