Economic Development in Africa Report 2021: Reaping the Potential Benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area for Inclusive Growth was prepared, under the overall supervision of Paul Akiwumi, Director of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), by Junior Davis (team leader), Grace Gondwe, Carlotta Schuster, Anja Slany, Sine Tepe, Komi Tsowou and Ali Yedan, with research assistance by Cynthia Adzika, Chiara Maero, Tinotenda Mataire, Esther Joseph Mpagalile and Anele Simon. The analysis draws on insights from institutional collaboration with the International Trade Centre.

An ad hoc expert group meeting on reaping the potential benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area for inclusive growth was held on 22 April 2021 to conduct a peer review of the draft report. The meeting brought together specialists in African trade, investment, trade law, tax, gender-related issues and development economics.

The following experts participated in the meeting and/or provided comments on the draft report: Olayinka Lawal Bandele (Commonwealth Secretariat), Lance Hadley (Sauti East Africa), Romain Houssa (University of Namur, Belgium), Kholofelo Kugler (Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law), Azwimpheleli Langalanga (Tutwa Consulting Group), Joy Waruguru Ndubai (Vienna University, Global Tax Policy Centre), Ify Ogo (United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Africa), Julia Seiermann (International Trade Centre), Julia Spies (International Trade Centre) and Frederik Stender (German Development Institute). The following UNCTAD staff members participated in the meeting and/or provided comments: Celine Bacrot, Vincent Beyer, Lisa Borgatti, Stefanie Garry, Mahlet Girma, Taisuke Ito, Christian Knebel, Janvier Nkurunziza, Patrick Osakwe, Ralf Peters, Matfobhi Riba, Antipas Touatam, Rolf Traeger, Yves Kenfack Tsafack, Giovanni Valensisi, Anida Yupari and Simonetta Zarrilli.

At UNCTAD, the Intergovernmental Support Service provided editing of the report, with support from the Editing Section of the Languages Service at the United Nations Office at Geneva; Nadège Hadjemian prepared the overall design and the cover; Gilles Maury designed the infographics; and Ngadjie Siani and Elena Stroganova provided administrative support. Layout of the report was undertaken by Juan Carlos Korol, of the United Nations Office at Geneva.