Implementing African Continental Free Trade Area: Lessons from Afro-Pessimists and Afro-Optimists

Global cooperation has been an acceptable strategy for addressing many of the world’s challenges. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement which entered into force on 30 May 2019 was designed in a similar light for Africa’s development. Its objectives among others are to create a single market for goods, and services, and deepen the economic integration of the African continent by the vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa as enshrined in the Agenda 2063. However, these benefits may not be realized unless member states garner concerted and sustained efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the AfCFTA. These efforts often elude most developing countries, and it is against this backdrop that this study attempts to investigate whether the contrasting perspectives of the Afro-pessimists and Afro-optimists could be of relevance to AfCFTA implementation. Using desk review methodology, the study synthesized both empirical and theoretical literature and found that Afro-pessimists are very critical and paint a gloomy picture of Africa. Whereas the Afro-optimists, are more positive looking with the claim that Africa is mistreated and its achievements are inordinately ignored. Significantly, both perspectives deepen understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Africa’s development, providing a useful context for either the failure or success of the AfCFTA’s implementation. The key lesson the study draws is for Africans to maximize their strengths as much as possible and minimize their weaknesses. This will actualize the “Africa rising” phrase and lead to the majority of Africans rising with Africa.