Celebrating the 46 African countries united under AfCFTA
Seven African partnering countries started trading under the guided trade initiative, enjoying duty-free and quota-free trading among themselves. Tanzania, Mauritania, Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Ghana were the countries first to trade Made In Africa products in pharmaceuticals, rubber, aluminum kitchenware, sugar, steel, horticulture, and wooden products.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a flagship project of Agenda 2063 of the African Union. Well over two-thirds of Member States are now parties to the AfCFTA Agreement.
The agreement is being hailed as Africa’s own legitimate development vision, unlike previous attempts which have been criticized as blueprints that are not fit for African interests.
The AfCFTA was initially approved the 18th ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in January 2012 at the African Union assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African leaders adopted a resolution to establish a Continental Free Trade Area, an initiative whose immediate implementation was believed to provide quick wins, impact on socio-economic development and enhance confidence and the commitment of Africans as the owners and drivers of Agenda 2063.
The AfCFTA main agenda is to accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s trading position in the global market by presenting Africa’s common economic interests and policy in global trade negotiations.
Four years after the adoption of the resolution at African Union headquarters by heads of African governments, the AfCFTA Agreement was signed on 21st March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The agreement came into force in less than 2 months on 30 May 2019 after overwhelmingly receiving support national parliaments across the continent who were swift in ratifying and signing the agreement. Today the AfCFTA is without doubt the most supported agreement in history of the Union.
The scope of the AfCFTA Agreement includes the Protocol on Trade in Goods, the Protocol on Trade in Services, and the Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of Disputes, the Protocol on Investment, the Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights, the Protocol on Competition, the Protocol on Digital Trade, and the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.
On Friday 7 October 2022, at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana, the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative was announced. Seven African partnering countries started trading under the guided trade initiative, enjoying duty-free and quota-free trading among themselves. Tanzania, Mauritania, Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Ghana were the countries first to trade Made In Africa products in pharmaceuticals, rubber, aluminum kitchenware, sugar, steel, horticulture, and wooden products.
The African Union has designated 2023 theme “The Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation”. As at 2 May 2023, 46 of 55 Member States have deposited their instruments of ratification with the African Union Commission (AUC).
“Universal ratification is closer than ever. We are building ONE African market”.
Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union Commission (AUC).
The AfCFTA has had challenges making progress in conflict-ridden regions Somalia’s signature is still pending approval from its parliament and cabinet. Eritrea has not to signed the agreement. While Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali are currently suspended from activities of the union.
