Case Study
Institutional Assessment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
A collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat
The project reviewed the existing purpose, programmes, structures, processes and capabilities of the AfCFTA Secretariat and recommended changes that are needed to ensure that the Secretariat can deliver effectively and efficiently on its mandate. The institutional assessment considered the current state of the AfCFTA Secretariat in relation to its mandate. It also looked at the experiences of the African RECs, existing trade blocs, Customs Unions, and similar organisations worldwide.
AfCFTA Secretariat's requirements
For this project, the AfCFTA Secretariat was seeking partners who could meet the following criteria:
- Review the policies and mechanisms that underpin the AfCFTA Secretariat’s structure and operations
- Review and rationalise the arrangements that link the AfCFTA Secretariat to the AU vision
- Examine the relationship of the Secretariat with the State Parties and RECs for smooth and coherent policies and structures Strong methodological skills and expertise
- Analyse the strength of the projected human resource considering the Secretariat’s mandate
- Determine the nature of the technologies and tools for enhanced delivery of programs
- Assess the relationship between the Secretariat and the host country
- Determine the types and focus of existing and potential partnerships
- Examine the resource mobilisation strategy and communication approaches
Our approach
LSE Consulting's Trade Policy Hub has displayed a good understanding of the needs and expectations of the client, through its engagement with organisations across different geographies and competencies. The challenge of institutional assessment is in understanding and respecting existing sensitivities and providing support which can be operationalised in the specific context.
Our contributions
Through these efforts below, the Trade Policy Hub has recommended changes that enabled the AfCFTA Secretariat to ensure that they can deliver effectively and efficiently on its mandate.
Strategic understanding
We identified the strategy driving the AfCFTA Secretariat and the accountability mechanisms currently in place within the Secretariat. We also explored the interfaces between the Secretariat and external partners, the African Union (AU) Commission and various AfCFTA support system structures.
Desk Research
Our team compiled a set of key documents essential to the assignment. This process included reviewing a number of founding documents such as the AfCFTA Agreement, the host country agreement with Ghana, and reports of meetings of the State Parties.
Mapping the AfCFTA Secretariat’s relations with other institutions
We conducted a high-level review of these collaborative partnerships and provided feedback to the Secretariat on the successful learnings that can be replicated from these arrangements.
Stakeholder Engagement
We undertook several consultations with State Parties with diplomatic representation in Accra to understand State Parties’ concerns and how these concerns can feed into improvements to the institutional structure of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Publications
About the AfCFTA Secretariat
The Secretariat functions as the coordinating body for all its activities, mandated to coordinate the implementation of the AfCFTA. The Secretariat is responsible for convening meetings, monitoring and evaluating the implementation process of the AfCFTA and other duties assigned to it by the AU Assembly of Heads of State, the Council of Ministers, and the Committee of Senior Trade Officials. The Secretariat houses experts, notably in legal affairs, economic policymaking, research, and communications, to assist the Member States, among other things, in ensuring easy progress of negotiations and that the rules set out in the Agreement are correctly applied and enforced.
