The 2nd annual conference of the NUL WTO Chair was held under the theme ‘The Political Economy of Regional Integration and International Trade in Africa.’ It was held in a hybrid mode on the 5th and the 6th of October 2023. It attracted researchers from over 10 African countries with some international participants attending physically – sponsored by the chair.
The conference participants submitted papers based on the following sub-themes:
- Regional Economic Communities and the AfCFTA
- Trade and Gender
- Agricultural Development and the Food Security Value Chain
- ICT, Innovation, and International Trade in Africa
- The Role of Foreign Influence on Trade and Development in Africa
- Taxation and Custom Duties vs Trade Liberalisation
- The Contribution of Trade to Sustainable and Inclusive Socio-Economic Development
- AfCFTA and the WTO Regime
- Climate change and its implications on International Trade
In the 2023 conference, presentations were followed by discussions from at least one other conference participant before the floor was opened for general questions and comments. This enriched the feedback that participants got from the conference which added value to the manuscripts presented. The conference, in particular, targeted postgraduate student presenters as a way to contribute to the development of future international trade experts.