In a hard hitting report the Independent Business Network (IBN) chaired by John Longworth has challenged Boris Johnson and international trade secretary Liz Truss to create new gold standard trade deals and give African countries preferential treatment to win over the fastest growing markets in the world. The IBN report shows that the sub Saharan region, home to 18 of the world’s 50 fastest growing economies, offers huge economic growth for Britain if it can maximise its links through the Commonwealth and historic ties. The report notes that the region’s growing young population, booming economy and expanding consumer class offers mutual trade opportunities for an independent Britain.
From 2000 to 2018 the region’s GDP grew from $9.7b to $1.7 trillion.
However, the IBN has warned that aggressive neo colonialism by China threatens British prosperity and could prevent important trade deals.
On top of that it warns that the UK’s presence in the area is waning and now lags behind key competitor economies in the European Union.
According to the report, research by the WTO…
