TRALAC’s 2024 Annual Conference

Amal Medini, WTO Chair Junior Fellow at the University of Tunis – ESSECT, participated in TRALAC’s Annual Conference, themed “African Integration – New Challenges of Responding to Economic Risk, Uncertainty and Geopolitics,” that was held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 16 and 17 May 2024. TRALAC (Trade Law Centre) is a think tank focused on building trade-related capacity in Africa. The conference included various panels with researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. The discussions focused on trade and integration developments in Africa, covering key themes such as the legal and institutional aspects of the AfCFTA and developments in the regional economic communities. Global developments and their implications for Africa were discussed as well. Furthermore, the panels revolved around the Guided Trade Initiative under the AfCFTA, its legal basis and long-term prospects. Special attention was given to the Protocols on Digital Trade and Women and Youth in Trade and their potential to address systemic challenges and create new opportunities within the continent. The AfCFTA’s role in Africa’s industrialisation agenda was also discussed, emphasizing the importance of trade facilitation and foreign direct investment for boosting productive capacity in Africa.