Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) will host its Annual Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, 30-31 July 2025. The theme is the AfCFTA, regional integration and industrial development. 

The 2025 TIPS Forum seeks to deepen understanding of the implications of the AfCFTA and regional integration on industrial development in Southern Africa. Through expanding trade and investment between countries on the continent, the AfCFTA, along with regional integration, opens the opportunity for strengthening industrial development on the continent. There are, however, risks to smaller economies or that circumvention of trade protocols could undermine the intent of the AfCFTA to grow the industrial base across the continent and strengthen economic development. Alignment of industrial policy with the AfCFTA needs to take place.

The Forum will discuss the opportunities and obstacles that arise from the AfCFTA and regional integration in implementing industrial policy and furthering industrial development in Southern Africa. This Forum will have a hybrid format that enables mostly in-person presentations to engage a diverse virtual audience. It will provide a platform for high-level panel discussions between industry, civil society, policymakers and academics.

Call for Papers

Authors are invited to submit an abstract of up to 500 words. To be considered, abstracts should be submitted by Friday 28 March 2025. Authors will be notified of the decision by Friday 9 May 2025. Final papers are due for submission by Friday 27 June 2025. Abstract submissions should include full contact details of the authors.

If you wish to contribute, please submit the title of your paper and the abstract to Daphney Mabuza at TIPS via email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

TIPS is partnering with and receiving financial support for the Forum from the DSI/NRF South African Research Chair in Industrial Development (SARChI) based at the University of Johannesburg. The Forum will be undertaken in association with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

2025 Forum Context and Themes

As part of its vision of a single market for goods and services, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) recognises the industrialisation ambitions of member countries. More than goods and services, it has the objective of supporting the movement of finance between countries and facilitating investment within the African continent. The agreement deals with issues of Rules of Origin, tariff concessions, and removal of non-tariff barriers, amongst others.

An AfCFTA secretariat has been established with various structures and committees of Ministers, officials and industry that aim to resolve blockages and drive the implementation of the agreement. Since it was initiated in 2012, almost every African country has become a signatory to the agreement. While there are a few remaining blockages in reaching an agreement on some issues, increasingly, there is a movement towards implementing the AfCFTA. 

The AfCFTA recognises the potential of trade within Africa unlocking economic growth of the continent, part of which is to support industrial development within Africa. Just removing trade barriers is not sufficient to increase industrial development on the continent, and key mechanisms have been identified in the AfCFTA that would contribute to industrial development – including Rules of Origin, the approach to tariff liberalisation and supportive industrial policy.  The agreement and process, however, recognise that not all African countries have the same resources and measures to benefit from opening up trade between countries on the continent; as such, the approach to reaching agreements under the AfCFTA protocols takes these differences into account. The priority is to ensure that countries across the continent are able to build their industrial capacity to benefit from the agreement. 
 
Dealing with the climate crises and energy sources is a priority for the continent and impacts the implementation of the AfCFTA and Africa’s economic development. These changes have occurred alongside a period of rapid and disruptive technological change, with implications for African economic development and regional integration.

Opportunities for development arise from stronger collaboration across the continent, as African countries strengthen their economies, support small businesses through industrial policy and improve continental trade arrangements. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement negotiations have been spurred on by an overwhelming need to do things differently and create opportunities for businesses of all sizes in multiple sectors to trade across the continent. Given the likelihood of tariffs from the US and their impact on global growth, the AfCFTA and increased intra-African trade are increasingly important. 

Looking ahead, the AfCFTA and regional integration require decisive industrial policy interventions. Policy-orientated research is required to better understand the political-economy impacts, and appropriate strategies and measures. 

The Forum offers the opportunity for collective critical analysis of possible solutions considering related opportunities and challenges, and further actions. The call for proposals covers broad themes to deepen our understanding of the AfCFTA and regional integration as part of industrial policy and industrial development, such as:

• Regional and global value chains  
• Rules of Origin
• Logistics
• Trade – barriers and opportunities
• Access to markets
• Alignment with South Africa’s G20 presidency
• The production structure in Southern Africa
• The AfCFTA and small business development 
• The AfCFTA, regional integration and gender 
• Inclusive growth as part of the AfCFTA
• Education, training and skills constraints
• The role of the financial sector 
• The climate emergency and the Just Transition
• Green industrialisation 
• Critical minerals
• Infrastructure – gaps, barriers and opportunities
• Technological change
• Regional integration (within SADC)

Broader papers on industrial policy not directly linked to the theme of the 2025 Forum will also be considered.