Bridging Isolation Through Continental Integration: Africa’s SIDS in the AfCFTA

Sawkut Rojid and Tasneem Wafiiqah Rojid
Additional contact information
Sawkut Rojid: Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research
Tasneem Wafiiqah Rojid: United Nation Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Chapter Chapter 15 in From Policy to Practice: Challenges and Ways Forward on the Implementation of the AfCFTA, 2026, pp 313-332 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This paper critically assesses the prospects and limitations of Africa’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—Cape Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Seychelles—within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Despite the AfCFTA’s potential to enhance intra-African trade, reduce barriers, and foster economic integration, African SIDS face structural challenges that inhibit their full participation. These include geographic remoteness, limited economies of scale, narrow export bases, underdeveloped infrastructure, and heightened climate vulnerability. Through a comparative analysis, the study reveals significant disparities in institutional capacity, regional connectivity, and integration readiness across the island states. The paper argues for the implementation of targeted interventions such as flexible rules of origin, accelerated liberalisation of services, strategic infrastructure investment, and a dedicated AfCFTA support mechanism for SIDS. Moreover, it identifies strategic niches—digital trade, blue economy, regional tourism, and service exports—through which African SIDS can strengthen their contribution to continental value chains. The findings highlight the urgency of a differentiated integration strategy that recognises the specific developmental needs of island economies. Ensuring their meaningful inclusion is not only essential for their resilience and growth but also for the overall equity and credibility of the AfCFTA.

Keywords: African continental free trade area (AfCFTA); Small island developing states (SIDS); Regional integration; Trade policy; Regional value chains; Climate vulnerability; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-14051-7_15

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783032140517

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-14051-7_15

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Books from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().