Stronger efforts needed to measure and monitor services trade in Africa
Trade in services data is missing for many African countries even though it is critical to measuring and monitoring the success of pilot services trade under the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative on Services.
GIZ, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, and the African Union Commission, are strengthening the capacity of African nations to collect trade in services data. A jointly organized workshop targeted government officials in processing high-quality data in selected sectors, including transport, tourism, and manufacturing.
The two-day training, delivered by ITC’s Trade and Market Intelligence (TMI) team and coordinated by its One Trade Africa initiative, emphasized the critical role of accurate and reliable data in effectively monitoring trade in services. Participants explored methodologies for improving data collection and processing that align with international standards.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of experts from various government institutions, including Ministries of Trade, Central Banks, National Statistics Agencies, and representatives from regional economic communities. This collaborative effort highlighted the importance of inter-agency coordination in building robust statistical systems for trade in services.
Data for monitoring AfCFTA trade in services
A critical session objective was to investigate the important link between data and monitoring policy frameworks and agreements.
Daphine Lekipaika, Trade in Services Expert at the AfCFTA Secretariat, provided a comprehensive update on the status of the Protocol on Trade in Services and the Schedules of Specific Commitments for the initial five priority sectors of business services, communications, financial services, transport and tourism.
Participants also received a snapshot of what to expect from the soon-to-be-launched AfCFTA Guide Trade Initiative for Trade in Services, which will require regular and reliable data for the purposes of tracking implementation. Additional complementary activities to advance implementation were also discussed, including regulatory audits.
Peer to peer: Learning through sharing
Representatives from national statistics agencies and central banks shared their experiences and practices in collecting trade in services data. The peer exchange facilitated lesson learning and tools to identify best practices that could be adapted to their contexts.
The workshop also featured insightful presentations from regional economic communities, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC). These underscored the diversity of challenges in data collection and processing and highlighted innovative regional methodologies and strategies that can guide national efforts.
Brian Mureverwi of the African Union Commission highlighted: “The ratification of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services gives us the mandate to collect international trade in services data at the sector level so that policymakers are better informed.”
The road ahead
The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations, emphasizing the importance of identifying best approaches, enhancing institutional coordination, and investing in capacity-building initiatives at national, regional and continental level. Participants also highlighted the need for private sector engagement to improve the quality, consistency, and accessibility of trade in services statistics.
Marvin Nuwagaba of GIZ African Union said: “The relevance of trade in services data cannot be overstated. We need better coordination and synthesis of ongoing work at different levels, to fully use and benefit from the data. Better access and dissemination of data is also a priority, to support policy formulation and investment in the region.”
