Repositioning Tunisia in the AfCFTA Era: Difficulties, Reflections, and Prospects for Progress
摘要
This chapter analyses Tunisia’s accession to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its potential to reposition the country within African and global trade networks. It examines Tunisia’s trade history, its structural dependence on Eurocentric value chains, and the opportunities and constraints presented by the implementation of AfCFTA. The analysis highlights Tunisia’s challenges in building regional value chains, harmonising rules of origin, and overcoming non-tariff barriers, while also pointing to comparative advantages in agro-processing, manufacturing, and services. Using lessons from previous preferential trade agreements, this chapter argues that successful AfCFTA participation requires institutional reform, private sector engagement, logistics modernisation, and digital innovation. The findings suggest that AfCFTA can serve as a catalyst for Tunisia’s structural transformation, enhancing supply chain resilience, reducing vulnerability to external shocks, and enabling more inclusive and sustainable development.