Economy and trade
ECDPM wants to contribute to effective European and African policies for a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery and transformation.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has created a single market of goods and services on a continent of 1.3 billion people. Despite the potential it represents, economic growth, poverty reduction and global trade have suffered major setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our research on economy and trade includes work on the European financial architecture for development, the political economy dynamics of Africa’s regional integration, private sector engagement, circular economy and the interaction between these topics and gender.
See all our areas of work
Highlighted
Latest work
Brief
The EU and debt-for-climate swaps: Geopolitical ambitions and development impacts
Paper
Maximising EU concessional finance for greater leverage and impact: An options spread
Guide
Green hydrogen: The future of African industrialisation?
Dossier
Our work on gender and international cooperation
Project
The political economy of clean economy transitions in African countries
Paper
External implications of the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU
Commentary
Using special drawing rights for climate-resilient food systems and food security
Paper
Green industrialisation: Leveraging critical raw materials for an African battery value chain
Brief
The Global Gateway at two: Implementing EU strategic ambitions
Guide
Three ways to scale up debt-for-climate swaps
Commentary
Carving out Africa’s role in the emerging global order
Paper
La sécurité par l'intégration des marchés ? L'économie politique de l'adhésion de la RDC à la CAE
Brief
China's role in African sovereign debt: Implications for Europe
Podcast
In search of common ground on climate diplomacy - Part l
Commentary
The case for an Africa-Europe trade-climate-development triangle
Commentary
Niger’s coup: Who loses from ECOWAS sanctions?
Commentary
Stepping up Finance in Common
Paper
Mobilising (European) development finance for climate adaptation and resilience
Paper
Integrating a human rights-based approach in European development finance institutions
Paper
Enhancing complaints mechanisms of European development finance institutions
Paper
Strengthening the European financial architecture for development through better coordination
Commentary
How Kenya and the EU can close the loop on textiles
Guide
Outil interactif : Cartographie de l'Architecture de Gouvernance Africaine
Paper
Mobilising investments for Ukraine reconstruction: Strengthening the Team Europe approach
Commentary
Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands reap the benefits of innovative financing
Guide
Interactive tool: Mapping the African Governance Architecture
Paper
Upscaling debt swaps for greater impact
Brief
Gender equality in EU external action: Mainstreaming women’s economic empowerment
Paper
Circular threads: What EU policies mean for sustainable textile exports from Kenya
Paper
Security through market integration? The political economy of the DRC’s accession to the EAC
Commentary
The EU’s carbon border tax can accelerate a low-carbon revolution if done right
Commentary
The Achilles' heel of Kenya’s growing digital economy
Paper
The EU, geopolitics and human development: Insights from Zambia, Kenya and Guinea
Brief
Sustainability of the SME business ecosystem: The missing links to access finance
Brief
Navigating green economy and development objectives: The political economy of greening transport in East Africa
Brief
Navigating green economy and development objectives: African energy transition opportunities and risks
Brief
Navigating green economy and development objectives: The effects of external climate regimes on African economies
Brief
Navigating green economy and development objectives: Between ‘green’ and development narratives
Paper
Navigating green economy and development objectives: Opportunities and risks for African countries
Paper
Lessons from SADC for the AfCFTA: The case of Mozambique
Paper
Europe-Africa relations in a multi-crises world
Study
Ghana’s brown gold: The political economy of the cocoa sector
Brief
Labour mobility as a key element of the AfCFTA: What role for the AU’s free movement protocol?
Brief
The EU Global Health Strategy: How to make it work
Paper
Engaging the European private sector in EU development cooperation and finance
Article
The EU Global Gateway – One year in: How to partner with the private sector?
Brief
Implications of COVID-19 and Russia’s war in Ukraine for EU-Africa relations – Development finance
Commentary
Ethiopia’s digital economy is blooming, but needs investment
Commentary
Debt reform for climate action: Demand grows louder, but will Europe respond?
Brief
Investing in sustainable food systems: A methodology and lessons learned from Africa
Article
Kenya’s potential for sustainable textiles
Study
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: The case of the Netherlands and the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development
Study
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: EBRD and donors comprehensive coordination
Study
Donors, implementing agencies and DFI/PDB cooperation: European donors’ partnership with the EIB
Brief
Climate risk mispricing: Why better assessments matter in financing for development
Paper
Enhancing coordination between European donors, development agencies and DFIs/PDBs – Insights and recommendations
Paper
Operationalising pharma manufacturing hubs in Africa: Policy options for the EU
Paper
Actors and interests along the Dakar-Bamako corridor
Paper
Les acteurs et intérêts le long du corridor Dakar-Bamako
Commentary
On transport corridors: People, profits, politics and patience
Commentary
What it would take to provide structural solutions to food insecurity in Africa
Paper
L’intégration régionale en Afrique de l’Ouest : Chevauchements inutiles ou options nécessaires ?
Paper
The Global Gateway: A recipe for EU geopolitical relevance?
Paper
Regional integration in West Africa: Wasteful overlaps or necessary options?
Brief
Tackling sovereign debt for effective climate action: Towards a European agenda
Paper
Financing fragile contexts: What can development finance institutions do better?
Brief
Africa’s journey towards an integrated digital payments landscape and how the EU can support it
Commentary
Youth aspiring towards the African dream
Paper
Green transition in Africa: Implications for Sweden and the EU
Paper
Politiques incohérentes ou réalités politiques ? Les impératifs de la politique commerciale et industrielle du Nigéria
Paper
Inconsistent policies or political realities? Nigeria’s trade and industrial policy imperatives
Paper
Tailored, multidimensional and coherent: Towards a renewed EU partnership with least developed countries
Commentary
Sustainable fashion cannot stop at the EU border
Paper
Agenda 2063 and the role of Africa’s overlapping regional organisations
Brief
African regional hubs to manufacture health products: Towards comprehensive joint AU-EU actions
Report
Strengthening the AU-EU partnership on the economic development and trade agenda
Paper
The geopolitics of African renewable energy: European and Chinese investments in a global green transition
Commentary
EU countries should reallocate a share of their special drawing rights as a strong commitment at the EU-AU Summit
Paper
The AfCFTA and industrialisation: From policy to practice
Paper
Morocco, Tunisia and the politics of the EU’s list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions
Paper
The rise of public development banks in the European financial architecture for development
Commentary
The EU’s Global Gateway: Groundbreaking initiative or smart rebranding?
Brief
The role of low- and middle-income countries in the circular economy transition of the Netherlands and the EU
Paper
Connecting African markets and people: Streamlining regional trade and free movement protocols
Paper
The EU list of tax havens: Progress and challenges
Brief
What does the AfCFTA mean for an EU-Africa trade agreement?
Paper
Towards a renewed Africa-Europe partnership for investment
Paper
Financing the 2030 Agenda: An SDG alignment framework for Public Development Banks
Brief
Working with the private sector for sustainable digital transformation
Paper
The future for Africa’s trade with Europe: Factors affecting the long-term relevance of the European market for African exports
Paper
Can trade policies help promote sustainable forest management? An analysis of the EU-Ghana FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement
Paper
EU support to economic reform in Mauritius: Promoting social inclusion and renewable energy
Brief
The EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap 2021-2025: What does it mean for developing countries?
Great Insights magazine
Here's how to accelerate investments in renewables with Africa
Great Insights magazine
Climate banks can spur a green transition in this make-or-break decade
Great Insights magazine
Financing the EU Green Deal: Putting Africa and adaptation higher on the agenda
Great Insights magazine
With the right investments, we can transform food systems
Video
EFAD Talks episode 6: A conversation with Koen Doens
Video
EFAD Talks episode 5: A conversation with Anne de Sourcy, Johannes Kannicht, Marina Piccioni, Fernando Jimenez-Ontiveros and Laure Blanchard-Brunac
Video
EFAD Talks episode 4: A conversation with Katarína Mathernová
Video
EFAD Talks episode 3: A conversation with Thomas Östros
Video
EFAD Talks episode 2: A conversation with Pierre Heilbronn
Video
EFAD Talks episode 1: A conversation with Thomas Wieser
Project
The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project phase 2 (2021-2022)
Guide
The African Union: What role in tackling Africa’s challenges?
Podcast
Climate Adaptations Talks episode 4: Cinzia Losenno
Corporate document
External Evaluation of ECDPM 2016-2020
Paper
The promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Brief
Understanding the use and trade of toxic chemicals in artisanal gold mining: The case of Burkina Faso
Brief
Recommendations to strengthen civil society engagement in EU trade agreements
Project
Realising Europe’s soft power in external cooperation and trade – RESPECT project (2018-2021)
Crunching the numbers of the long-term EU budget
Corporate document
ECDPM Annual Report 2019
Great Insights magazine
Square pegs in round holes? Using trade policy for non-trade objectives – Volume 9, Issue 2, 2020
Paper
Policy coherence issues emerging from COVID-19 with a focus on healthcare supply chains
Report
Strengthening the Local Dimension of Blended Finance
Brief
Sustainable EU business and trade: How the Enterprise Europe Network can promote trade beyond Europe
Project
Cascading climate risks: Towards adaptive and resilient European societies – CASCADES project (2020-2024)
Corporate document
ECDPM brochure
Paper
Sewing the pieces together: Towards an EU strategy for fair and sustainable textiles
Commentary
The African Continental Free Trade Area and the politics of industrialisation
Commentary
Limburg’s black gold, the move away from it and lessons for other countries
Commentary
Engage with Africa
Commentary
Where aid for trade meets responsible business conduct
Brief
A smart mix for responsible business conduct: Due diligence legislation and multi-stakeholder initiatives
Great Insights magazine
Non-profits and business team up for land governance in Sierra Leone
Great Insights magazine
Africapitalism and partnerships for the SDGs: what we can learn from the Unilever-GBF partnership in Nigeria
Commentary
EU competition law and sustainability coming together
Paper
African river basin organisations: From best practice to best fit
Commentary
Industrialising Africa one nut at a time
Commentary
What just happened? On Africa, EU aid, trade and Brexit – Seven key questions answered
Brief
Can the 0.2% levy fund peace in Africa? A stronger AU-UN partnership in accordance with WTO rules
Paper
Artisanal gold mining in DRC: Time to get down to earth?
Commentary
Morocco’s accession to ECOWAS: Building bridges or rocking the boat?
Commentary
EU financing and private investments: Time for a quantum leap
Brief
CEDEAO : Commerce et facilitation des échanges. Faire avancer l'intégration économique pas à pas ?
Brief
CEDEAO et énergie : Intérêts nationaux, marchés régionaux et accès à l'énergie
Brief
CEDEAO : Comprendre les efforts pour promouvoir un agenda de gouvernance
Brief
SADC : Comment cohabiter avec un puissant voisin ?
Brief
Politiques de la CDAA dans les domaines du commerce et du transport : consolidation et couloirs de développement
Brief
L'Union africaine : Comment se renforcer pour remplir sa mission ?
Brief
L’agenda de la SADC concernant l’eau : gérer ou exploiter les ressources hydrauliques régionales ?
Brief
Gouvernance de l’Union Africaine en matière de migrations : l’Afrique partagée sur la question
Brief
L’Agence du NEPAD : Comment concrétiser une vision ?
Brief
Architecture de gouvernance africaine et Charte de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance de l’Union africaine
Brief
L’Autorité du bassin du Niger : concilier les intérêts en amont et en aval sur le fleuve Niger
Brief
CEEAC et CEMAC : Intégration ardue dans une région aux structures complexes
Brief
La Commission internationale du bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha (CICOS) au fil de l’eau : de la navigation au financement climatique en moins de 20 ans ?
Brief
IGAD : Diplomatie de haut niveau et pragmatisme dans une région turbulente
Brief
La Commission du bassin du lac Tchad (CBLT) : l’eau et la sécurité au carrefour des régions
Brief
IGAD : Sécurité alimentaire et résilience. Quels intérêts communs régionaux dans un environnement défavorable?
Brief
L’IGAD et l’agenda de gouvernance : la région ne peut pas toujours être un catalyseur
Brief
COMESA et industrialisation : Intégration régionale, coopération ou apprentissage ?
Brief
Le Marché commun de l'Afrique de l'Est et de l'Afrique australe (COMESA) : Vers une réforme institutionnelle ?
Brief
CEDEAO : Adhésion politique à la plus ancienne organisations régionales africaine
Brief
CEDEAO : Industrialisation et emploi des jeunes. Une valeur ajoutée au niveau régional ?
Brief
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre: the complexity of combining national ownership, a regional mandate and international support
Guide
Interactive guide: The political economy dynamics of regional organisations in Africa
Brief
The East African Community: Informal adaptation in regional trade and transport cooperation
Brief
IGAD: High-level summitry and pragmatism in a region of persistent turbulence
Brief
The East African Court of Justice: The hard road to independent institutions and human rights jurisdiction
Brief
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC): Water and security at an inter-regional cross-roads
Brief
The International Congo Ubangui Sanga Commission (CICOS): Going with the flow – from navigation to climate finance in less than 20 years?
Brief
The Nile Basin Initiative: Balancing historical rights, national needs and regional interests
Brief
COMESA industrialisation: Regional integration, cooperation or learning?
Brief
The NEPAD Agency: How to translate vision into practice?
Brief
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa: Incentive-based institutional reform?
Brief
The Niger Basin Authority: Reconciling upstream and downstream interests on the Niger River
Brief
The Commission of Central African Forests (COMIFAC): Global ambitions and hidden gains
Brief
The SADC Water Agenda: Managing or developing regional water resources?
Brief
ECCAS and CEMAC: Struggling to integrate in an intertwined region
Brief
SADC: Living with a powerful neighbour
Brief
The Eastern African Standby Force: A regional mechanism without a political home
Brief
SADC Trade and transport policy: Consolidation and corridors
Brief
Understanding ECOWAS efforts in promoting a governance agenda
Brief
The Southern African Development Community: Peace and security - how to fight old and new demons?
Brief
ECOWAS Energy: From national interests to regional markets and energy access?
Brief
La Conférence internationale sur la région des Grands Lacs (CIRGL) : davantage qu’une conférence ?
Brief
ECOWAS Industrialisation and youth employment: Adding value at a regional level?
Brief
The African Union: How to become fit for purpose?
Brief
ECOWAS: Political traction with Africa’s oldest regional organisation
Brief
AU migration governance: non-aligned views on migration governance in Africa
Brief
ECOWAS trade and trade facilitation: Advancing economic integration one hurdle at a time
Brief
The African Union: the African Governance Architecture and the Charter for Democracy, Elections and Good Governance
Brief
The International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR): More than a conference platform?
Brief
EAC industrialisation and youth employment: Regional rhetoric, national drive
Brief
IGAD Food security and resilience: Common regional interests in a harsh environment?
Brief
EAC food security: Private sector ambitions facing political headwinds
Brief
IGAD and the governance agenda: The region may not always be a catalyst
Infographic
Interactive map: Mapping regional organisations in Africa
Great Insights magazine
From mines and wells to well-built minds: Turning Sub-Saharan Africa’s natural resource wealth into human capital
Great Insights magazine
Lack of skilled human capital in resource-rich Africa: The real paradox?
Great Insights magazine
A global initiative to end support to conflict through mineral production and trade
Great Insights magazine
Trade as a vehicle of our values and development: The new EU Regulation on conflict minerals
Great Insights magazine
EU’s ore and metal import flows and engagement towards responsible sourcing in industry supply chains
Great Insights magazine
A high price for cheap electronics
Great Insights magazine
Embracing the complexity of mining for development - Editorial
Great Insights magazine
Mining for Africa’s development
Great Insights magazine
From Africa to Country Mining Visions
Great Insights magazine
When local content requirements meet technological innovations
Great Insights magazine
Five key linkages to enable resource-led growth
Great Insights magazine
Local communities can reap better benefits from mining if market and fiscal channels are strong
Great Insights magazine
Between global and hyperlocal: A territorial approach to partnerships in mining
Great Insights magazine
Responsible mining: Partnership to help achieve the SDGs
Great Insights magazine
Mining for development – Volume 6, Issue 3 (July/August 2017)
Great Insights magazine
On the political economy of reforms in the extractive sector
Great Insights magazine
African mining, employment and women’s empowerment
Great Insights magazine
'SheTrades' and we all benefit
Great Insights magazine
Gender budgeting in sub-Saharan Africa
Great Insights magazine
Illicit financial flows and promoting gender equality through tax systems
Great Insights magazine
Do jobs aid peace? The impact of employment interventions on peace, security and stability
Great Insights magazine
Youth employment in fragile states: Building the foundations first
Great Insights magazine
A New Deal is needed for youth
Great Insights magazine
The multi-faceted dimensions of job creation for youth in fragile states - Editorial
Great Insights magazine
Complex paths: Supporting mixed livelihoods in fragile states
Great Insights magazine
Youth employment for resilience in fragile and conflict-affected states
Great Insights magazine
When money finishes, people remain: The challenges of youth unemployment in Nigeria
Great Insights magazine
Employing ex-combatants in fragile and conflict-affected countries
Great Insights magazine
Agricultural value chains and their potential for youth employment in fragile and conflict-affected contexts
Great Insights magazine
Youth employment in fragile countries – Volume 6, Issue 1 (February/March 2017)
Great Insights magazine
Youth employment opportunities in African agrifood systems
Paper
Regional integration, poverty and the East African Community: What do we know and what have we learnt?
Project
Les dynamiques d’économie politique des organisations régionales en Afrique – projet PEDRO (2018-2020)
Project
The political economy of regional organisations in Africa – PEDRO project (2018-2020)
Commentary
The role of Aid for Trade in trade agreements – Looking beyond reducing costs
Project
The political economy of regional integration in Africa – PERIA project (2015-2016)
Brief
Implementing African development initiatives: Opportunities and challenges to securing alternative financing for the Agenda 2063
Commentary
Crossing the border between Malawi and Zambia – How to convince informal traders to give up the ‘Zalewa’ route?
Commentary
Le Tarif extérieur commun de la CEDEAO est-il une bonne nouvelle pour les paysans de l’Afrique de l’Ouest francophone ?
Project
The political economy of regional integration in Southern Africa – PERISA project (2012-2013)
Paper
Africa's Regional Integration Arrangements: History and Challenges
Upcoming events
Our economy and trade experts
https://ecdpm.org/topics/economy-and-trade