Scaling continental cooperation: could a European aerospace company offer insight into integrating regional economies

Free trade agreements around the world show gains in trade, efficiency and consumer choice. Yet, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), an agreement that African Union member countries signed in 2018 to create a single market, still struggles to move from promise to practice as national interests clash with the goal of regional integration. Using Europe’s Airbus project as an example, this article demonstrates how integrating specific sectors could build trust and cooperation for African nations to reap the benefits of regional integration.