ECA - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Published purpose

This project aims to promote trade among African countries to reduce poverty, generate economic ?growth, create jobs, and increase food security. ?The initiative, undertaken with the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) based at the United Nations Economic Commission ?for Africa, supports the African Union’s Boosting Intra-African Trade Action Plan and the process of economic integration. This includes the Continental Free Trade Area. In the implementation of the project, the ATPC aims to partner with a consortium of Canadian centres of trade expertise, led by the Centre for Trade Policy and Law. Project activities include: (1) supporting national governments and Regional Economic ?Communities (RECs) to develop and implement their Boosting Intra-African Trade action plans; (2) ?establishing the African Agricultural Market Information Systems Network, that gathers, analyzes and ?shares information about prices and other information relevant to farmers, animal rearers, traders, ?processors and others involved in handling agricultural products;? ?(3) delivering training, workshops ?and technical assistance to national government and RECs; and (4) conducting assessment studies on a ?number of key issues, such as the state of intra-African trade, and disseminating results.?