Global trade is being reshaped by a new ‘security–sustainability’ nexus. As supply chains are reconfigured for resilience, regional partnerships are becoming central to economic growth and green transformation.

This shift presents a significant strategic opportunity for Africa.

Despite representing 18% of the world’s population, Africa accounts for just 2% of global goods trade, 3% of global services trade, around 6% of global FDI flows and less than 2% of global energy transition investment – a stark gap given the continent’s vast solar potential, critical mineral reserves and rapid demographic growth.

This briefing argues that green trade and regional value chains (RVCs) – anchored in the African Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – can help accelerate industrialisation while strengthening economic resilience for both African economies and their global partners.

Better coordinated trade, investment and climate policy can create this enabling environment. The AfCFTA framework, including its Protocol on Investment, has already begun shaping investment policy and strengthened institutional capacity.

Mobilising capital at scale, however, requires reducing both real and perceived market risks and aligning commercial incentives with development priorities. This means moving beyond individual projects towards regional, investable pipelines supported by strong enabling environments and targeted de-risking instruments.

With the UK’s 2027 G20 Presidency and COP32 on the horizon, the paper highlights how renewed partnership approaches can turn political ambition into delivery.

Building on discussions at the Global Partnerships Conference (London, May 2026), the authors examine the forces reshaping global value chains, assess Africa’s trade and investment position, and identifies practical steps to advance green trade and regional value chains.

Report by the Overseas Development Institute