Protectionism, WTO Reform, and AI: What's Next for African Trade

Global trade is being reshaped by rising protectionism, a struggling WTO, and the rapid growth of the digital economy. In this episode of Trade Knowledge Matters, Amar speaks with Ebere Ezike, International Trade Lawyer and Founder of AfCFTA Dialogues, and Ben McConkey, Economic Advisor to Somaliland's Ministry of Trade and Tourism and an ODI Fellow, about what these shifts mean for Africa and other low-income economies.

The conversation covers how countries can diversify trade partnerships, build regional value chains, and use AI and digital services to drive growth — even as multilateral trade rules come under strain. Ezike and McConkey also discuss the role of industrial policy in African development and what genuine resilience looks like in an increasingly fractured trading system.

Key Topics

• Protectionism as economic warfare and its impact on low-income nations
• WTO reform, plurilateral agreements, and the limits of multilateralism
• AI and the digital economy: opportunities for low-income countries
• Trade policy and industrial development in Africa
• Diversifying trade partners and building regional value chains
• Trade rules, commitments, and their role in development
• Building resilience through regional integration

Resources

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

World Trade Organization (WTO)

OECD Trade Policy Papers

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