No Women No AfCFTA. Whose integration is it anyway?

Africa, which covers approximately 30 million square kilometers, is the second-largest continent in the world. In 2010, its gross domestic product was approximately $1.6 trillion, compared with the U.S.’s $14.5 trillion GDP which is even three times smaller in geographical size. Given the challenges with continued failure in unification and development across the cross, the African leaders agreed to form the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) from the Pan Africanism perspective in a bid to come up with the Africa we want.  As an affirmation of their commitment to support Africa’s new path for attaining inclusive and sustainable economic growth and development African heads of state and government signed the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the formation of the OAU /AU in May 2013. The declaration marked the re-dedication of Africa towards the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens. The question which needs to be answered as we celebrate the AfCFTA is who are the citizens that are to drive the agenda of this regional integration? The major stumbling block for Africa’s unification has been the inherited colonial borders which were adopted and maintained as the African countries got their independence from the colonial masters. As we celebrate the big achievement of the AfCFTA, there is need to locate where the African citizens are bearing in mind that it has been created to empower the African people.

There will be no AfCFTA without proper inclusion of women and young people who are more than fifty percent of the African population. Most African economies have been in the hands of African women as they cross borders despite being classified as informal traders.  Research has proven that SMEs run by women account for approximately sixty percent of Africa’s Gros Domestic Product (GDP). If we are to move from the old model of free trade agreements, the current trade agreements have to define the benefactors and ensure the women and the young people have been granted an audience to air their concerns and ensure they equally benefit as with the large corporates.  Those heading the agenda have to understand that trade in Africa is not defined wholly without the inclusion of women in informal cross-border trade (WICBT). The first step is to look back and locate where these women are and ensure their concerns have been heard and addressed. Its high time the policymakers have to accept that the integration of Africa will not be achieved without addressing the question of the trade regarded as informal trade. It’s high time we understand Africa with its own flaws and address them to achieve the desired goals and targets. The African homes have been supported by the women seen across the borders carrying goods in their heads and backs.  Accepting the reality will enable the leaders and policymakers to ensure they will not put the cart before the horses. Let’s push the protocol of free movement of persons across the continent ahead of all these other protocols as the major challenges that have hampered trade among Africans is the artificial borders which have remained too difficult to deal with.

The role of WICBT can no longer be ignored if the aspirations of the AGENDA 2063 are to be achieved and AfCFTA is to remain relevant. It’s the time for Africa to tell her story and ask those who wish to help not to come up with solutions not compatible with her. The AfCFTA will be one of the great ideas but fail again to address the needs of the African people if women are marginalized and tailored in a neo-colonial package that emphasizes the movement of goods and capital at the expense of the people themselves. Let’s not unite the goods without uniting the people, as this integration talked about will continue to exist in summits and conferences. The failure to take heed of the impact of AfCFTA on women across the continent has far-reaching implications on the African continent. As I have said there will be no AfCFTA without women.  

 Dr. Levious Chiukira

lchiukira@gmail.com

 

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