A Three-day regional multi-stakeholders forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been held to discuss progress made in the implementation of the trade agreement, examine challenges and opportunities provided by the AfCFTA.
Organised by Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Africa) for English-Speaking countries in West Africa, the forum brought together civil society organisations, private sector organisations trade unions, and government officials as well as key AfCFTA officials
The Regional Forum on AfCFTA for Anglophone West and North Africa aims to strengthen alliances and networking among stakeholders in the region, share information and perspectives on the AfCFTA.
This is under a joint project by TWN-Africa, Enda Cacid and Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) Uganda under the umbrella of the Africa Trade Network (ATN).
The Coordinator of TWN-Africa, Dr Yao Graham, said the regional forum was to seek an update on the implementation of the
Goods Protocol so far in the ECOWAS, an update on concluded protocols and the outstanding ones and enhance alliance building among the various stakeholders in the two regions.
The Director of Trade in Goods and Competition at the AfCFTA Secretariat, Mohamed Ali said while AfCFTA was one of the innovative ways to transform Africa’s economies and create the biggest single market in the world, delay in the free movement of persons was affecting the smooth implementation of AfCFTA.
He said to be successful; the challenges of free movement of persons must be addressed and called on African governments to help cut down the barriers to the free movement of persons on the continent.
On his part, Senior Advisor to the Secretary-General of AfCFTA, Peter Joy Sewornoo said 47 countries had so far signed on the AfCFTA.
He said that currently seven countries, including Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, were already trading under the AfCFTA’s certificates, which allowed them to trade among themselves.
He said 30 more countries
were in the process of being issued with the AfCFTA’s certificates to enable them to trade under the AfCFTA banner next year.
Mr Serwornoo said the seven countries had received their certificate of origin, and put in place their customs procedures.
‘A lot more countries would come on board and trade next year,’ Mr Serwornoo stated.
He said the seven countries were trading in about 96 products, including ceramic tiles, tea, air conditioners.
Mr Serwornoo urged member countries to sign the protocol on the Free Movement of Goods.
He said the Trade in Services protocol made provision for business people to move temporarily to deliver a service.
He said 54 of the 55 African countries had signed onto the AfCFTA agreement, and was left with Eritrea to do so, adding that 47 African countries were State Parties to the AfCFTA Agreement by virtue of their ratifications and deposit of their instruments of ratification.
He said countries such as Benin, Liberia, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Mozambique a
nd Eritrea were yet to ratify the agreement.
Source: Ghana News Agency