Staff Reporter
Kigali, November 21 – The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the Governments of Comoros, Tanzania, and Uganda, orchestrated a series of training sessions aimed at enhancing the capacity of both public and private sector stakeholders in effectively implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.
The focal point of the training revolved around “Maximizing the benefits of the AfCFTA for businesses: Strategies and tools for accessing the market.” The comprehensive program covered critical subjects such as market access opportunities, rules of origin, tariff concessions, trade facilitation, non-tariff barriers, dispute settlement, and digital trade.
Conducted in July, October, and November 2023, these training sessions engaged over 300 participants from government ministries, agencies, trade associations, chambers of commerce, academia, and civil society. The primary goal was to equip participants with the requisite knowledge of the modalities of goods and services liberalization, implementation instruments, procedures, and opportunities under the AfCFTA. Additionally, the sessions aimed to raise awareness about the opportunities, benefits, and challenges of the agreement and guide participants on how to leverage these advantages.
Mr. Said Abdou Salime, Secretary General at the Ministry of Economy and Trade of Comoros expressed the timeliness of the practical training, particularly as Comoros currently holds the presidency of the AU in 2023 and aims to actively engage in the upcoming phases of the guided trade initiative.
Mr. Isaac Bonny, an official from the Bank of Uganda, emphasized the relevance of AfCFTA training, stating its importance in supporting the bank’s role in regulating the payments system and contributing to AfCFTA negotiations, especially concerning payments and digital trade. He noted that the private sector lacks awareness of AfCFTA benefits, and the workshop would serve to enlighten them on seizing the opportunities presented.
The AfCFTA stands as a historic achievement for Africa’s economic integration and development, aspiring to establish a single market encompassing 1.3 billion consumers with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, making it the world’s largest free trade area by the number of participating countries.
Mr. Ali Khamis Juma, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development in Tanzania, expressed gratitude to ECA for its valuable support. He underscored the initiative’s significance for Tanzania’s industrial diversification and economic growth. Similar training sessions were also conducted in Zanzibar and Bemba.
Mama Keita, Director of ECA’s Office for Eastern Africa, asserted that the AfCFTA catalyzes Africa’s economic transformation and integration. She assured continued support from ECA to the participating countries.
These workshops represent part of ECA’s ongoing commitment to assisting African countries in preparing for and implementing the AfCFTA, which became operational on May 30, 2019, and commenced trading on January 1, 2021.
