Trade Policy Development - AfDB

The Bank’s engagement in regional integration is underpinned by its Medium Term Strategy (MTS), 2008-2012 and the Regional Integration Strategy (RIS),2009-2012. The African continent has to scale up substantial investments in regional infrastructure development and capacity building in order to make regional integration productive and effective in delivering development. Complementarities are needed in addressing hard and soft infrastructure constraints. While upgrading and building better roads, railways, ports, border constructions, energy installations etc., is important commensurate measures must be taken to improve and remove the legal, regulatory and institutional barriers that constrain the private sector and other businesses operational envi­ronment. To structure and improve its interventions in addressing these constraints the Bank has in 2011 devel­oped the West, Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Regional Integration Strategy Papers (RISPs) respectively that give effect to the regional dimensions. The Northern Africa RISP is still under preparation. The RISPs fur­ther aim at providing an analytical framework for streamlining regional operations (ROs) in the Bank and iden­tify the Regional Public Goods for which the Bank could potentially provide funding support.

The African Development Institute’s programme activities for regional member countries and Bank staff for 2012 included several trade policy training components on trade and regional integration. The main focus areas are the following (i) Balance of Payments Statistics (ii)Innovative methods of financing infrastructure and regional integration (iii)international trade and financial services (iv) export dynamics and trade facilitation and (v) African Regional Integration Outlook (Assessing the impact of regional integration on economic convergence and inclusive growth).