Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The UN on Thursday urged Africa to develop clear competition and consumer protection rules for African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost trade. Mukhisa Kituyi, secretary general of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) told a trade forum in Nairobi that …
Read More »AU chair urges Africa to prepare to implement AfCFTA
Johannesburg, S.A. | Xinhua | The African Union (AU) chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called on the continent’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to prepare to start trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement effective from Jan. 1, 2021. Ramaphosa made the remarks in his closing address at …
Read More »Kenya’s exports to EAC surpass pre-COVID-19 period
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenya’s exports to countries in East African Community (EAC) have surpassed the pre-COVID-19 period, with the pandemic seemingly catalyzing trade. The exports to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda recovered from May, sustaining an upward trajectory to August, new economic data from government statistics agency released on …
Read More »Digital trade is next big thing in Africa
Interview with Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Because of COVID-19, free trade for countries that have ratified the agreement did not begin, as planned, on 1 July 2020. In …
Read More »Potential of AfCFTA cannot be realized without adequate quality infrastructure
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | The industrialization and trade potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement cannot be realized without adequate quality infrastructure systems, a new report by the United Nations and the African Union (AU) report said. The newly published report, entitled “Identifying Priority Products …
Read More »African countries urged to remove non-tariff barriers to realize AfCFTA
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | The African Union (AU) Commission on Sunday called for addressing non-tariff barriers in order to realize the major aspirations of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. “The African continent is about to become the world’s largest free trade area. If not addressed, non-tariff …
Read More »AfCFTA gets permanent home in Accra
Can world’s biggest trade bloc wean Africa off expensive aid? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | On Aug.17, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Ghanaian president, launched the Permanent Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) four months ahead of the day African countries are expected to start trading in goods …
Read More »AU keeps AfCFTA in track with digital technology in wake of COVID-19
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | XINHUA | As the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to take place on Jan. 1st, 2021, the African Union (AU) says it keeps AfCFTA in track with digital technology in the wake of COVID-19. For the AfCFTA operationalization timeline to be …
Read More »Free trade area could boost Africa’s income by 450 bln USD: World Bank
Nairobi, Kenya | XINHUA | The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost the continent’s income by 450 billion U.S. dollars if fully implemented, says a World Bank report released on Monday evening. According to the report, the pan African trade pact would significantly boost continental trade, particularly intraregional …
Read More »China’s participation key to success of Africa’s free trade pact: experts
Accra, Ghana | XINHUA | China’s participation will be one of the key ingredients to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, some experts have said. Speaking with Xinhua, international trade expert Francis Kofi Korankye-Sakyi said the critical role China has played in Africa’s economic and …
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