Negotiations for the liberalization of services under the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: Stakeholder consultation guide

Release Date:
17 March, 2021

The purpose of the present guide is to support negotiations on services under the Agreement through a simple tool by which negotiators can: (a) map national and regional interests; (b) anticipate the potential effects of liberalization on different stakeholders and the economy as a whole; and (c) formulate offensive and defensive negotiating positions that take into consideration national and regional synergies while limiting conflicts.

The guide is organized as follows:

  • Section 2 addresses the importance of consultation in the formulation of negotiating positions.
  • Section 3 provides questionnaires to anticipate the potential impact of services trade liberalization on trade, employment and prospects for industrialization.
  • Section 4 highlights the importance of government services.
  • Section 5 discusses informality in economies and provides questionnaires to anticipate the potential impact of liberalization on informal sectors.
  • Section 6 emphasizes the importance of a gender lens in the liberalization of trade in services.
  • Section 7 addresses complementary measures that are necessary to enable the temporary movement of people.
  • Section 8 provides a checklist to use in preparing for negotiations on services.