Selected Issues Papers

Unleashing the Benefits of Intra-African Trade Integration for the WAEMU: WAEMU

By Shushanik Hakobyan, Fiona M Hesse-Triballi, Sergii Meleshchuk, Hans Weisfeld

June 6, 2025

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Format: Chicago

Shushanik Hakobyan, Fiona M Hesse-Triballi, Sergii Meleshchuk, and Hans Weisfeld. "Unleashing the Benefits of Intra-African Trade Integration for the WAEMU: WAEMU", Selected Issues Papers 2025, 071 (2025), accessed July 19, 2025, https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229011556.018

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Summary

WAEMU members’ trade openness, integration into global value chains (GVCs), and export diversification remain limited. Tariffs, non-tariff measures (NTMs, obstacles to trade that arise mainly from differences in national regulations), and a challenging trade environment (e.g., cumbersome Customs and border processes) hamper WAEMU members’ trade with countries outside of ECOWAS; while NTMs and the challenging trade environment weigh on trade even among WAEMU members and on trade between WAEMU members and other ECOWAS countries. WAEMU members should pursue greater trade integration by helping move AfCFTA discussions forward and implementing agreed steps. They should also advocate with AfCFTA partners for a more ambitious process for removing NTMs. In parallel, they should drive forward trade integration among themselves, including by addressing NTMs and seeking to strengthen the trade environment in a cost-effective manner, e.g., by streamlining Customs and border processes.

Subject: Economic integration, Exports, Imports, International trade, Tariffs, Taxes, Trade balance, Trade integration

Keywords: AfCFTA, C. AfCFTA trade integration, Exports, Global, Imports, Intra-African Trade, Sub-Saharan Africa, Tariffs, Tariffs and Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), Trade balance, Trade Environment, Trade Integration, Trade openness, Trade Policy, WAEMU, WAEMU member, WAEMU trade integration agreement

Publication Details

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