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Trade Market For East, Central, and Southern Africa

COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade

East, Central, and Southern Africa are aspiring to form a trade market. 14 countries will engage in free trade across East, Central, and Southern Africa. This follows the authorization of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) Agreement. This agreement unifies the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) into one extensive commerce bloc. The agreement’s enforcement was made possible after 14 out of the 29 partner states submitted their instruments of ratification, meeting the necessary threshold.

“Malawi, Lesotho, and Angola are the latest member states to authorize the agreement, bringing the total to 14 countries. It will take effect on July 25.” Said Christopher Onyango, Director of Trade and Customs at the Comesa Secretariat in Lusaka, Zambia. “This means that member states can start trading. However, there are technical details that needs an address before free trade can start.”

The countries that have authorized the agreement are Botswana, Burundi, and Egypt. Also Eswatini, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, and Zambia. Among EAC, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda have ratified the agreement. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania are still pending authorization. “This agreement significantly addresses  overlapping memberships in multiple regional economic communities,” Onyango added.

The Tripartite agreement aims for full liberalization of tariff lines and the elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade. It promotes best practices in transport and trade facilitation and value chain development at regional levels, which are crucial for boosting intra-African trade. A key challenge to the operationalization of the TFTA is the absence of a dedicated secretariat and institutional structure to coordinate and implement its programs and activities. READ MORE: UN urges Russia to leave nuclear plant.

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