Summary

An analysis of the role of international trade in Africa. It focuses on four central issues: the trade policies of the sub-Saharan African countries; the impact of GATT and its successor, the World Trade Organization; the impact of specific GATT/WTO agreements; and the viability of regional economic integration as a strategy for trade and development. Mshomba combines theoretical analysis with an empirical approach that gives attention to the experiences of individual countries and particular institutional settings. Avoiding generalizations, he identifies the winners and losers resulting from various policy decisions. In his concluding discussion, he tackles the controversial question of whether international trade is a barrier to development in Africa or, instead, has the potential to raise the standard of living on the continent.