Professor of International Economic Law at the Manchester University,Professor Yenkong Hodu

Idris Adesina

London, Nov. 28, 2017 (AltAfrika)-A professor of International Economic Law at the Manchester University,Professor Yenkong Ngangjoh Hodu wants African countries to practise trade relations over pecuniary gains when opportunities arise to to discuss trade relation with Britain as it exists the EU

However, the professor warned that except they approach such negotiation as a collective, “to leverage their position and collective bargaining power to negotiate more advantageous trade deals”, individual countries , particularly the smaller but minerals rich countries would have less influence and could be open to exploitation

Professor Hodu  who spoke at a lecture on “what Impact does brexit have on regional integration in Africa” organised by the British Institute in East Africa in London has no iota of doubt that with the right attitude and approach brexit would be mutually beneficial to Africa and Britain.

He said “to me the demand of African countries should be that open your market to us, we’ve got a lot to sell. I think Africa has a lot of potentials . When I go to Kenya, I see a lot of coffees, teas. In Nigeria the same things , in Ghana, Burundi, the same thing. So they have a lot of things to offer.

“In Ghana for instance, instead of saying you send us your cocoa beans, no. What the Ecowas would negotiate for Ghana and Ivory Coast is that you come and establish your company here. Come and make your chocolate here and ship to your country. We have the raw materials , come here and establish. That’s what I expect African countries to demand ”

He urged respective regional African bodies to do their best to negotiate the removal of any limitation on the ability of African farmers to export their produce, particularly as agriculture is one of the key ways African nations are seeking to diversify their export base.