Southern Africa

Zambia Finalizes the AFCFTA Strategy and Implementation Plan

6 November 2019 (Livingstone, Zambia) - Speaking during the closing session of the Experts Meeting to Finalize Zambia’s AfCFTA Strategy and Implementation Plan organized on 5th and 6th November 2019, Mr. Paul Mumba, Chief Economist,  Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), informed the meeting that the work on the AfCFTA, “does not end here, but starts now, he urged the participants to collectively own the strategy and share with their respective constituencies”. He assured the meeting that sensitisation is continous and called on every one to take a personal responsibility in raising awareness about the AfCFTA. The  Chief Economist said that “the final draft of the AfCFTA Strategy will be submitted to the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry by Friday 8 November 2019”. Once submitted it will be reviewed internally by senior management before submission to Cabinet. Once cleared, the Strategy  will be officially launched by Ministry. Read More

Also see related content: Experts Meet to Finalize AFCFTA Strategy and Implementation Plan

 

Media has an important responsibility to unpack Africa’s Free Trade Story

4 October 2019 (Johannesburg, South Africa) - The critical role of the media in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) underlined an intense two-day workshop organised by the Economic Commission for Africa - ECA on 2-3 October in Johannesburg, South Africa. The AfCFTA is set to create one of the world's largest single markets, accounting for over $4 trillion in spending and investment across the continent and the media is a crucial stakeholder in creating a conducive public discourse on this agreement, which can support making its potential a reality. Adeyinka Adeyemi, Senior Programme Management Officer, ECA who presented an overview of the AfCFTA to participants at the workshop said, “The media creates and shapes public opinion by, translating complex technical issues like the AfCFTA into stories accessible to the public. This means that the media has an important responsibility to unpack Africa’s Free Trade Story and actively engage the public on the integration agenda and we, as the ECA, need to support them with our technical data and insights.” The media often face the most testing challenge in informing the public and bringing their views into a wider debate of African regional integration. Read More.

Also see related content: ECA hosts AfCFTA Media Hub Workshop from 2-3 October 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa

 

Zimbabwe’s AfCFTA strategy under spotlight as nation eyes significant gains

Implementation-AfCFTA3 October 2019 (Harare, Zimbabwe) - A two-day workshop to validate Zimbabwe’s strategy for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) ended in Harare Thursday with participants agreeing to fine tune the plan to ensure the country effectively benefits from opportunities that will be availed once trading commences under the agreement in July 2020. In closing remarks to the workshop, Ms. Beatrice Mutetwa, Chief Director for Economic Cooperation, International Trade and Diaspora in Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry, said meticulous implementation of the strategy was key to Zimbabwe benefiting from the free trade area once trading starts. Read More

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Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) urges government to expedite the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement

26 September 2019 (Lusaka, Zambia) – The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa's Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA) and African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) held a validation workshop for Zambia's Strategy for the Implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement from 25 - 26 September 2019, in Lusaka. Speaking at the validation meeting, the President of the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI), Chabuka Kabwesha advised the government to expedite the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement so that Zambia can start benefiting from the continental market. Read More

 

Ratification of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by Zambia will support government efforts to diversify the economy says ECA Regional Director for Southern Africa

24 September 2019 (Lusaka, Zambia) - The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa's Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA) and African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) held a Media Sensitization and Capacity Building Workshop on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement on 24 September in Lusaka. In his official remarks at the media sensitization and training workshop on the AfCFTA, ECA Regional Director for Southern Africa, Said Adejumobi noted that "the ratification of the AfCFTA by Zambia would support government efforts at diversifing the economy and boosting Zambia's agriculture production." Meanwhile, Adejumobi challenged participating media practitioners from across the country to increase their interest and knowledge on the AfCFTA project in order to be able to “report on it accurately, write informed stories, and mobilise the citizens in support of the initiative” Read More

 

"Private Sector needs to produce and export high quality products to reap the benefits of the AfCFTA" says Malawian Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism

23 September 2019 (Blantyre, Malawi) - The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, in partnership with the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission (AUC) held an AfCFTA Sensitization Workshop in Blantyre on Thursday 19 September. This workshop brought together approximately 120 participants from the private sector, civil society organizations, government and academia. The purpose of the workshop was to promote dialogue and develop a better understanding of the AfCFTA. In addition to securing consensus for Malawi to ratify the AfCFTA Agreement. The workshop also focused on AfCFTA ratification and implementation, and the technical details of the Agreement, such as Rules of Origin and Non-Tariff Barriers. The workshop mapped out specific benefits of the AfCFTA for Malawi, such as access of Malawi's products and services to 1.2 billion people; creation of business opportunities for Malawians; promoting industrialization for the country due to increased market; infrastructure development; amongst others. This workshop was one of two sensitization workshops that took place last week in Malawi. Read More

Also see related content: Malawi needs to ratify the AfCFTA as soon as possible says Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Representative

 

Zambia to validate the National Strategy for the Implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement

16 September 2019 (Lusaka, Zambia) - The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa’s Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA) and African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) are organizing a meeting to validate Zambia’s Strategy for the Implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement from 25 - 26 September 2019, at Radisson Blu in Lusaka, Zambia. This follows a consultative workshop on AfCFTA organized in May 2019 and extensive in-depth stakeholder consultations held between April and August 2019 leading to the production of a draft national strategy in August 2019. The AfCFTA Strategy Validation Workshop will review and finalize the strategy and its implementation plan. Read More

 

 

Malawi hosts African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Sensitization Workshops in Lilongwe and Blantyre

Implementation-AfCFTA16 September 2019 (Lilongwe, Malawi) - The Ministry of Trade and Tourism in partnership with the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission (AUC) are organizing an AfCFTA Awareness Workshop in Lilongwe and Blantyre on 17 September and 19 September, respectively. These workshops aim to engage relevant stakeholders on AfCFTA issues to secure a consensus for Malawi to ratify the AfCFTA Agreement. Each workshop is expected to bring together about 150 participants from private sectors, civil society organizations, parliamentarians, academia, and government. Salim Bagus, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism said 'the AfCFTA marks a new dawn to Africa’s economic transformation and Malawi's economy stands to benefit with the creation of this single market. It is a new hope for boosting intra-Africa trade across 55 African countries with a combined population of more than 1.2 billion people. The AfCFTA will facilitate increased business opportunities in Malawi in terms of unlimited market and economies of scale which will result in reduced cost of doing business and improved efficiency and profitability of our Industries, SMEs and Exporters.'  Read More

 

Zimbabwe poised for AfCFTA gains

19 June 2019 (Harare, Zimbabwe) - “Zimbabwe, having the second largest platinum and chrome deposits and 5th largest lithium in the world can attract investment capital across the Continent as the barriers to free trade and investments are deconstructed through the AfCFTA” said Said Adejumobi, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Regional Director for Southern Africa. He made the remarks at the start of a two-day National Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in Zimbabwe on June 19, 2019. Read More

Also see related content: Zimbabwe’s National Consultative Forum on the African continental free trade area slated for 19 June

 

Zambian National Consultative Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area marks start of wider Stakeholder Consultation Process

Implementation-AfCFTA24 May 2019 (Lusaka, Zambia) - The National Consultative Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) concluded on 24th May at Mulungushi Conference in Lusaka, Zambia. This marks the beginning of the wider stakeholder consultation process from 27-31 May 2019, which will feed into Zambia’s national implementation strategy for the AfCFTA. The Forum was co-organised Zambian Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SA) and the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC).

The Zambian government provided policy direction on the implementation of the AfCFTA and gathered sectoral views on the benefits and challenges presented by the AfCFTA. The government also focused discussion on the sectors that provided Zambia with the greatest comparative advantage and opportunities to leverage regional and continental value chains. Read More.

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