Logistics and global value chains in Africa: the impact on trade and development

The concept of Logistics and Supply Chain Management being the new focus of businesses in the developed economy has left the continent of Africa behind. There is a critical vacuum of knowledge on the significance of Logistics infrastructure global value chain to trade both within Africa, where due to both economic and political reasons, has remained grossly undeveloped, and between Africa and their external trading partners where channels of movement of goods still take longer than necessary thereby hindering African competitiveness.

The benefits this book will offer will include detailed analysis on Global Value Chain and critical examination of the current state of Logistical Infrastructure in African continent. It will further offer suggestions (some empirical) that will help to address the issue of poor trading and trading relationships in Africa. It will also be a point of reference to scholars and future researchers with interests in Africa.

The book will help to create a high level of awareness for African governments and policy makers to engage with the renaissance of GVC and the need to develop Logistics and Supply Chain infrastructures as the key enabler for better trade and economic activities in Africa, with the understanding that trade retardants factors such as price volatility, poor commodity pricing, rent seeking activities, poor storage and poor movement of goods within Africa and between Africa and its trading partners can be avoided if adequate attention is directed to it.

The book has ten chapters with nine contributors. Contributors are highly academic with PhDs and many years of experience either in academics or international organisations. Chapters adopted a range of methods of research in their development. Individual chapters with their own specific findings as contained in the book.

The book gains its strength in its focus - Africa. Limitation is also its focus as we believe it would have had a greater impact if it reflects the rest of the world.

The book will have practical implication on academics as a unique source of information for research. International Organisations trading with Africa will find the book useful and government policy decision makers will use it as a resource.

African continent will for the first time have a document in the form of a book that discusses the challenges mitigating trade in Africa. It will be a basis for awareness for African domestic traders as well as multinationals trading with Africa.

In terms of originality and value, it is first of its kind. All chapters are peer reviewed both by editors and the Publishers. The book makes significant contributions to knowledge particularly in the discourse relating to Africa.