IDA is supporting the African Union to assist the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which has the potential to boost intra-regional trade and significantly reduce poverty. We are assessing the effects of tariff reductions on government revenues and quantifying the impact on trade, growth and poverty, including women and youth.
Implementation has led to greater accountability and less impunity of officials, reflected in declining rates of harassment at key borders (from 78 percent to 45 percent in South Kivu), improvements in security at the border (as a result of new buildings, lighting, cameras etc), extended border opening hours, and increased trade flows (for instance from 40-50 thousand traders crossing at the ‘Petite Barriere’ border in Goma pre-COVID, almost double when the project was prepared).
