Despite recent improvements in the economies of many African countries, the continent as a whole continues to underperform when it comes to trade. Africa represents only about 2.4 percent of total global exports. Internal trade is also low—some African countries trade more with Europe or Asia than with other nations on the continent. This week on And Now the Hard Part, we trace the roots of the problem and talk about how to fix it. “The limitations in traffic and trade have effects on industrial development, poverty levels, job creation, especially for the youth population,” says Landry Signé, a Brookings fellow and our guest on the podcast this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices