Special Products and Safeguard Mechanism: Designing Options for AfCFTA Trade in Agriculture

摘要

Among the outstanding details that remain to be addressed by AfCFTA member countries is submi ng which products they consider "sensi ve", or special products to be exempted from deeper tari. cuts. The heterogeneous levels of development, economic structures, and geographical, social and environmental condi ons mean that the benefits of far-reaching integra on might not be equally divided and that there can be no "one size fits all" solu on that could be applied by all the African countries. This paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing integra on process by providing some empirically based Special Products (SP) Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) concepts from a sustainable development perspec ve, along with some strategic op ons to be considered by policymakers. It proposes a possible methodology that governments could follow when developing their na onal lists of SPs. It proposes indicators that connect local reali es – such as food insecurity, the composi on of the tradi onal diet, rural employment structures, and market condi ons – with trade disciplines.