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Business Editor
WITH the 2015 deadline for the attainment of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) approaching, Africa has little to show in terms of market integration due to increasing protectionist attitudes by developed countries.

While MDG number eight provides for establishment of global partnerships for development on the economic front, there is still limited integration into global markets of African economies, according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) 2014 MDGs latest report.

“International trade and economic arrangements have little benefitted African countries. Policies prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (particularly Structural Adjustment Programs), resulted in excessive economic liberalisation with disastrous effects, including the requirements to cut back on health, education and public services, and to rely on commodities for export,” reads part of the report.

Despite being producers of major raw materials globally, the report says African countries remain poor with little rewards from international trade treaties.

“Developed countries continue to control the terms of technology transfer, private capital and foreign aid flows, while maintaining trade barriers to protect their domestic suppliers from cheaper imports from Africa,” it says.

“Consequently, African economies’ integration into global markets remains limited and the continent’s share of global exports represented only 3,4 percent of the total in 2012, up from 2,3 percent in 2000, but still around half the level of the early 1980s.”

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) concurs.

The report notes that development partners have often reiterated commitment at different multilateral negotiation platforms, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and G20 forums, to support African countries, promote enhanced mutual trade, avail funding and roll back new protectionist measures yet continue to impose new export restrictions.

“These commitments are far from being met, as evidenced by rising protectionism, with 124 new trade restrictive measures introduced between October 2011 and April 2012,” reads the report.

The gross national income (GNI) commitment by development partners under the Monterrey Consensus of 2000 to increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) to support least developed countries and the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness commitment to increase ODA by 2010 are typical examples of agreements that are yet to be honoured.

In 2011 G8 countries reaffirmed commitments on ODA and enhancing aid effectiveness but a year later ODA to Africa dropped from approximately $30,7 billion in 2011 to $29,1 billion in 2012.

“As at 2013, only five countries reached the United Nations target of allocating 0,7 percent of GNI to ODA. The total quantity of ODA to Africa remains lower than half of the increase implied by the 2005 commitments.

“More specifically, the combined donors’ ODA was equivalent to 0,30 percent of their combined GNI, leaving a delivery gap of 0,40 percent of GNI,” reads the report.

Given the continued global economic uncertainty there are legitimate concerns over the ability of donor countries to maintain their commitments on aid.

The report also indicates limited progress in developing an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system.

Given this sober reality African countries have been urged to strengthen regional synergies and trade ties within the continent to support their economies.

Free trade zones under the auspices of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the Sadc and the East African Community (EAC) are commendable in reversing the trade imbalances, consolidating autonomy and growth of African economies.