The African Economic Community (aec) and the African Free Trade Zone (aftz)

Brief Introduction to Current Trade-Related Issues in Africa

The African Economic Community (AEC) and the African Free Trade Zone (AFTZ)

Isabel Fernández Acín

Universidad de Navarra exchange student in Waseda University.

Telephone 34-680-768-859

E-mail: ifernandez.28@alumni.unav.es

January 19, 2016

JEL Classification: F00, F01, F04

Keywords: Abuja Treaty, African Economic Community, regional economic communities, free trade, African Union, continental block.

INDEX

1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................Page 3

1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................Page 3

1. The Portuguese Route.............................................................................................Page 3
2. The Berlin Conference.............................................................................................Page 4
3. The Cape to Cairo Dream........................................................................................Page 5

1. THE AFRICAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY...........................................................Page 5

1. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TREATY...........................................................Page 7

1. THE AFRICAN FREE TRADE ZONE........................................................................Page 8

1. Problems.................................................................................................................Page 9

1. THE FUTURE.........................................................................................................Page 10

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................Page 11

1. ANNEX .................................................................................................................Page 12

1. Countries that integrate the RECs recognized by the African Union………………..Page 12
2. The Abuja Treaty………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 12

1. INTRODUCTION

Africa is the world's third-largest and third-most-populous continent, behind America and Asia. The continent is divided into 54 countries which belong to the African Union with the exception of Morocco, plus 4 unrecognized territories and 23 dependent territories.