Fostering Trade in Africa

Gbadebo O. A. Odularu holds a PhD degree in Regional Economic Development from the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom. He works as the Economics and Finance lecturer for Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at Bay Atlantic University, Washington D.C, USA. He is also the Socio-Economic Research Applications & Projects (SERAP) LLC Development Policy Specialist. He works closely with national, continental and international partners to provide evidence-based policy tools for fostering regional and sustainable development towards realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 2030. Gbadebo Odularu has been visiting scholars at: the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK); Centre for Regional Economic Studies (CRES), Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Seoul, South Korea; United Nations Institute for Economic Development Planning (UNIDEP), Dakar, Senegal; the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (SSEE), University of Oxford, UK; and the World Trade Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland. He is currently affiliated with the Centre for Research on Political Economy (CREPOL)- Senegal, American Heritage University of Southern California (AHUSC), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), SSCG Consulting, DAgriVest - Benin, Marymount University, Old Dominion University (ODU), as well as the African Agribusiness Incubator Network (AAIN). Gbadebo Odularu has undertaken extensive research in development economics and has refereed publications in major economic journals and books, among which are: (i) Trade Facilitation Capacity Needs for West Africa -  https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9783030059453 (ii) Negotiating south-south regional trade agreements for Africa -  https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319455686 and (iii) Scaling up SDGs Implementation: Emerging Cases from State, Development and Private Sectors -  https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030332150Mena Hassan is a Trade Policy Analyst at the World Trade Organization’s Trade Policies Review (TPR) division. She has over 15 years experience in trade policy, trade facilitation, and trade and development. She prepared and co-authored TPR reports on the trade and economic policies of many African countries and has delivered a large number of technical assistance and capacity building activities in  African countries, especially in the area of trade facilitation.  Mena holds a Ph.D from the University of St.Gallen in International Affairs and Political Economy (DIA) and a M.A. in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick.Adetunji Babatunde is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. His research focuses on energy economics, international economics and macroeconomics.

• Introduction: Trade Relations, Business Opportunities and Policy Instruments for Fostering Africa's Trade.- Africa and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: State of Play, Implementation Challenges and Policy Recommendations in the Digital Era.- Trade Facilitation and SPS from an African Perspective.- Does Trade Facilitation Promote Bilateral Trade in Sub-Saharan Africa? Policy and Issues.- Assessing the Role of Trade Liberalization in Facilitating Trade Flows and Economic Expansion: Evidence from ECOWAS Countries.- Promoting Connectivity of Infrastructure in the Context of One Belt, One Road Initiatives: Implications for Africa in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.- The US-China Trade War: What is Africa's Gain?.- Strengthening the Future of U.S.-Africa Trade Relations and Business Opportunities.- Understanding the Role of Aid in Enhancing Corridor Development, and Regional Integration in West Africa: Lessons and Policy Directions for the Future.- Conclusion and Recommendations: Creating an Enabling Ecosystem for Catalyzing Africa's Digital Economy.