Africa needs to boost regional trade flows, says UNCTAD report

African governments should give more support to entrepreneurs to help boost regional trade flows, to allow businesses to benefit from growing consumer demand and insulate the continent from global financial crises, a UN study said on Thursday.

In a break with past recommendations on African trade, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said boosting regional trade would require solutions that do more than simply remove trade barriers.