Trade Rules, Industrial Policy and Competitiveness: Implications for Africa’s Development

Industrialization is one of the cardinal priorities for economies in dynamic transformation from a commodity base to a diversified value-added development stage. In major African economies, as in other economies worldwide, industrial policy is resurgent and back at the centre of economic policy. The sectors in focus revolve around manufacturing, textiles and clothing, footwear, automobiles, infrastructure, information technology products, petrochemicals, aluminium smelting, agro- and cut flower industries. African economies actively applying industrial policy include Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa.