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African parliamentary leaders are set to converge on Monrovia, Liberia, for discussions on how stronger legislation can help accelerate intra-African trade, investment and economic integration across the continent.
The gathering is expected to bring together lawmakers and parliamentary leaders from different African countries at a time when governments are increasingly looking beyond traditional trade relationships and seeking ways to make the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) a more practical reality for businesses, investors and ordinary citizens.
The meeting is particularly significant because Africa has a population of more than 1.4 billion people and possesses vast natural resources, agricultural potential and a growing consumer market, yet trade between African countries remains below the continent’s potential. Differences in regulations, customs procedures, infrastructure, financing and national policies have continued to make cross-border commerce more difficult than it should be.
For African lawmakers, the argument is that political agreements alone cannot deliver economic integration. National parliaments have an important role in translating continental commitments into domestic laws, approving relevant agreements, scrutinising government policies and creating an environment in which businesses can trade across borders with fewer obstacles.
The discussions in Monrovia will therefore place considerable attention on the legislative side of Africa’s economic integration agenda. Lawmakers are expected to examine ways to strengthen legal frameworks supporting trade, investment and cooperation while ensuring that national legislation does not unnecessarily create barriers to businesses operating across African borders.
At the centre of the conversation is the AfCFTA, which is designed to create a single African market for goods and services and deepen economic integration among participating countries. The agreement entered its operational trading phase in January 2021, marking a major step towards the continent’s long-term ambition of increasing trade among African countries.
The African Union has described AfCFTA as one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063, with the broader objective of creating a more integrated and prosperous continent. The agreement is expected to progressively reduce tariffs on most goods, address non-tariff barriers and create opportunities for African companies to expand into markets outside their home countries.
But the success of the agreement depends heavily on implementation. A continental free-trade agreement can establish broad rules, but individual countries still have to put those commitments into effect through domestic institutions and legislation.
This is where parliamentarians become particularly important. National assemblies and parliaments can influence the legal environment in which trade takes place, from customs and taxation to investment protection, competition, intellectual property and dispute resolution.
Another major issue likely to feature in the discussions is the movement of capital. African countries need substantial investment in infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, energy and transportation if the continent is to fully benefit from a larger integrated market.
Better investment rules could make it easier for businesses based in one African country to establish operations in another. At the same time, lawmakers face the challenge of balancing the attraction of investment with the protection of national interests, workers, consumers and local businesses.Infrastructure is another major piece of the puzzle. Poor roads, limited rail connections, inadequate port facilities and expensive logistics can make it difficult for African producers to compete with goods imported from outside the continent.
A farmer may be able to produce a competitive agricultural product, for example, but still struggle to reach a neighbouring country’s market because of transportation costs or border delays. Similarly, manufacturers may find that exporting to another African country is more expensive than importing similar goods from outside Africa.
The push for economic integration therefore goes beyond signing trade agreements. It requires practical improvements at borders, better transportation networks, harmonised standards and more efficient customs procedures.
Small and medium-sized enterprises are also expected to remain an important part of the discussion. Although large corporations have greater financial capacity to navigate complex markets, smaller businesses often face greater difficulties accessing finance, meeting regulatory requirements and crossing international borders.
A more integrated African market could give these businesses access to millions of additional consumers, but only if the regulatory environment is sufficiently predictable and the cost of doing business across borders is reduced.
The discussions also come as African governments continue to search for ways to increase the continent’s share of global trade. For decades, many African economies have remained heavily dependent on the export of raw materials while importing finished products. Greater intra-African trade could create opportunities for more processing and manufacturing within the continent, allowing countries to capture more value from their natural and agricultural resources.
For Liberia, hosting the parliamentary gathering in Monrovia also provides an opportunity to place the country within the broader conversation about African economic integration. The country’s capital has historically been an important political centre in West Africa, and bringing African lawmakers together there underscores the continental nature of the issues being discussed.
The challenge facing the parliamentarians will be turning broad commitments into practical legislative action. Africa does not lack ambitious economic plans; the difficulty has often been ensuring that those plans are implemented consistently across countries.
If national parliaments align relevant laws with continental trade objectives, strengthen oversight and support policies that remove unnecessary barriers to legitimate commerce, the impact could be significant. Businesses could gain access to larger markets, investors could find more predictable operating environments, and consumers could have greater access to products produced elsewhere on the continent.
However, integration must also account for differences among African economies. Countries have different levels of industrial development, infrastructure, fiscal capacity and regulatory systems. A one-size-fits-all approach may therefore create difficulties for some economies, making gradual implementation and cooperation particularly important.
Ultimately, the Monrovia meeting is about a question that has occupied African leaders for decades: how can the continent turn its enormous combined market and resources into greater economic cooperation and shared prosperity?
Parliamentarians have a role that extends beyond passing laws. Through legislation, oversight and regional cooperation, they can help create the legal foundations required for African businesses and investors to operate across borders more easily.
The gathering will therefore be closely watched for concrete proposals on trade legislation, investment protection, infrastructure, customs procedures and the removal of non-tariff barriers. The real measure of its impact, however, will come after the meeting — when lawmakers return home and begin turning continental commitments into national policies and enforceable laws.
