AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism

The AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism is a mechanism established under the Protocol on Rules and Engagement on the settlement of disputes under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

It was designed to provide a forum for the amicable, transparent and swift resolution of disputes between State Parties under the conditions of the agreement

Components
The Dispute Settlement Mechanism consists of the following institutions;

Dispute Settlement Body
The Dispute Settlement Body is the main decision making responsible for the Dispute Settlement Mechanism. It is mandated to establish the panels and Appellate Body and their reports.

Adjudicating Panels
The Adjudicating Panels are responsible for hearing and resolving disputes between state parties. They are composed of three experts who are appointed by the Dispute Settlement Body.

Appellate Body
This is a second tier review body that hears appeals of panel decisions. It is composed of seven independent experts who are appointed by the DSB.