ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the inter-relationships between trade and broad economic and human development in the African context. It focuses on three central questions. First, how, to what extent and in what senses can trade – i.e. production for export markets in exchange for imports – promote human development, including income, employment and equitable distributional dimensions? Second, what are the best policy measures for the promotion and diversification of trade and what policies can be implemented in order to obtain optimum developmental impacts from trade? Third, what are some of the key current issues of trade and trade policy for African countries and how can these be resolved productively? The chapter explores the implications of trade for development. Specific issues of primary commodity trade are followed by an analysis of different policy approaches to trade, specifically inward-oriented, externally oriented and export processing zones.
