The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): A Big Ship on Big Waves

 Building Peace to Make the AfCFTA Work — What Every Adult Learner Should Know

 

By Edmore M. Chijoko

 

Introduction
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the biggest economic experiments of our time: a plan to create a single market for 54 countries and more than 1.2 billion people. If it succeeds, the AfCFTA could boost trade, create millions of jobs and help African industries grow. But trade alone won’t deliver those benefits. A recent peer‑reviewed chapter — “Building resilient peace for the successful implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area" — that I published in the edited volume New African Thinkers: Trade and Sustainability (AISA Press, 2026) makes a clear case: lasting peace, good governance and security are just as important as lower tariffs and market access.

 

Why peace and governance matter for trade

It’s easy to think of trade agreements as mostly about rules and taxes. But imagine trying to move goods when borders are unsafe, customs are corrupt, or conflict breaks out nearby. Violence, crime, political instability, and poor rules of law all raise the real cost of doing business—they scare away investors, interrupt supply chains, and cut off markets. This review of academic and policy literature demonstrates that failing to address these issues could undermine the AfCFTA's economic promise.

 

Key risks the chapter highlights

• Violent conflict and terrorism: Active conflict in any country or region can shut down main trading routes and frighten off investment. Recent crises in parts of Africa illustrate how fragile gains can be.
• Porous borders and illicit trade: Smuggling, trafficking and illicit financial flows thrive when border controls and customs are weak. These activities distort markets and fund insecurity.
• Weak governance and corruption: Non-transparent rules, inconsistent enforcement and weak institutions create non-tariff barriers that limit the benefits of a single market.
• Unequal distribution of gains: If benefits go mainly to firms and regions that are already better off, marginalised groups may push back, fuelling unrest.
• Youth unemployment and skills gaps: large numbers of young people lack the skills needed for growing industries, increasing the risk of social unrest and making it harder to build stable labour markets.
• Climate and resource conflicts: Competition over water, minerals and land can exacerbate tensions between communities and states, threatening trade relations.

 

A multi‑lens approach: Why one solution won’t work

Here, I draw on several ways of thinking about international affairs to explain these problems and how to tackle them:

• Liberal ideas suggest trade and institutions can create incentives for peace — but only if social protections and fair governance are in place.
• Realist thinking warns that states and powerful actors may prioritise their interests and security over integration unless institutions can handle disputes.
• Constructivist ideas point to the power of shared identity (a sense of “Africanness”) and regionally developed norms to build trust and cooperation.
• Human security emphasises the need to protect people—not just states— from threats to their livelihoods and safety.
• Attention to illicit trade and trade liberalisation shows that opening markets without sequencing reforms can create new vulnerabilities.

 

Practical recommendations from the research

Here I recommend a set of practical, policy-focused recommendations aimed at making AfCFTA both economically powerful and socially safe:

 

1. Strengthen regional institutions and cooperation

· Empower Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the African Union (AU) structures and bodies such as the African Trade Observatory to coordinate trade, security and infrastructure efforts.

· Improve intelligence sharing and joint operations against organised crime and terrorism.

 

2. Build governance capacity at national and regional levels

·   Improve transparency, accountability and anti‑corruption measures in customs, resource management and trade regulation.

·       Harmonise rules and remove arbitrary non‑tariff barriers that block legal trade.

 

3. Invest in human security and social protection

· Skills training, vocational education, and youth employment programmes must accompany market opening so that people can take advantage of new jobs.

· Social safety nets and retraining can reduce the pain of economic adjustments.

 

4. Manage resources and environmental risk collaboratively

· Joint approaches to shared water basins, mining and environmental management can reduce resource conflicts.

·  Climate adaptation and cross‑border resilience planning are essential for communities dependent on fragile ecosystems.

 

5. Tackle illicit trade proactively

· Strengthen border management, customs capacity and anti-money-laundering systems.

· Work with global bodies (UNODC, Interpol, World Customs Organization) and use better technology for detection and tracing.

 

6. Promote inclusive, people‑centred integration

·   Ensure that AfCFTA benefits are distributed fairly across regions, sectors and social groups.

·   Engage civil society and the private sector to build support and hold governments accountable.

 

A new idea: AU embassies for coordination

One concrete idea the chapter proposes is establishing AU “embassies” in member states. These would act as coordination hubs to monitor implementation, support dispute resolution, assist border and customs cooperation, and link trade policies with peacebuilding and social programmes. In short, they would aim to make continental cooperation practical, visible and accountable on the ground.

 

What this means for adult learners and practitioners

If you teach, work with communities, run small businesses, or are simply interested in development, the AfCFTA will affect everyday life across the continent. The chapter’s key message is that trade policy and peacebuilding must go together. Adult education pprogrammes,community training, and workplace upskilling are essential complements to policy reform. People need the skills and civic knowledge to seize new opportunities, and citizens must have channels to hold leaders accountable.

 

Takeaways — simple and actionable

• Trade can be a powerful engine for development — but only if peace and strong governance are in place.
• Opening markets must be sequenced with security, social protection and capacity building.
• Youth skills development, aanti-corruptionmeasures, and better border management are immediate priorities.
• African institutions and home‑grown approaches (rather than external templates) will be more likely to win trust and long‑term buy‑in.
• Ordinary citizens and civil society should be part of the conversation to ensure benefits are shared.

 

Conclusion
The AfCFTA is a historic chance for Africa. But as I point out in this piece of work, policymakers must think beyond tariffs and trade tables. Building resilient peace, strengthening governance, tackling illicit flows, investing in people, and managing shared resources are all part of making the AfCFTA work for everyone. For adult educators, community leaders and learners, this means preparing people with the skills and civic know-how they need to participate in this continental shift. Trade and peace are two sides of the same coin—and both must be strengthened if Africa is to reap the full rewards of integration.

 

Follow the link below for a full read on the book chapter:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/402829083_Building_resilient_peace_for_the_successful_implementation_of_the_African_Continental_Free_Trade_Area