21 votes

African leaders launch landmark 55-nation trade zone

5 comments

  1. Ephemere
    Link
    This seems on the whole to be a very positive step, my general impression is that the common market has been quite excellent for Europe, and similarly is extremely helpful for the united states. I...

    This seems on the whole to be a very positive step, my general impression is that the common market has been quite excellent for Europe, and similarly is extremely helpful for the united states.

    I do wonder if it's possible to achieve the common market without a common currency. This has been a fairly clear pain point in europe over the past decade, and as it seems that the AU, like the EU would be a fiscal union without a political union, they would likely suffer from the same problems.

    4 votes
  2. [3]
    NecrophiliaChocolate
    Link
    Wow this is huge. I wonder if China was opposed to this. It could mean less reliance on China. Maybe it would mean more because of the need to improve infrastructure.

    Wow this is huge. I wonder if China was opposed to this. It could mean less reliance on China. Maybe it would mean more because of the need to improve infrastructure.

    3 votes
    1. Neverland
      Link Parent
      Just as they are against the EU, I imagine all major powers, political and corporate, were against this. It is quite an achievement!

      Just as they are against the EU, I imagine all major powers, political and corporate, were against this. It is quite an achievement!

      3 votes
    2. vakieh
      Link Parent
      It's being implied in places to be the first steps to an AU to mirror the EU, but I suspect what it will end up meaning is a select group of proxy nations that get to be the trade front to the...

      It's being implied in places to be the first steps to an AU to mirror the EU, but I suspect what it will end up meaning is a select group of proxy nations that get to be the trade front to the rest of the world and allow proxies so countries like China can say 'we aren't enslaving these people, we aren't even trading with that country' - because they can buy tariff free from a proxy country. IDK, maybe I'm too much of a cynic, but I doubt it.

      2 votes
  3. json
    Link
    Will this see a reduction in scam emails since it should be easier for all those princes in Nigeria to move their money throughout the continent?

    Will this see a reduction in scam emails since it should be easier for all those princes in Nigeria to move their money throughout the continent?

    2 votes