The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that on 20 January 2017 Nigeria had ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which means that only three more ratifications from members are needed to bring the TFA into force.
The TFA will enter into force once two-thirds of the WTO membership has formally accepted the agreement. Thus, far three of the six Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Member States, and seven of the 15 Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states have ratified the TFA. South Africa has yet to, but is unlikely to do so anytime soon. It is expected to be one of the few WTO members that will not ratify the TFA.
In addition to Nigeria, the following WTO members have also accepted the TFA: Hong Kong China, Singapore, the Unites States of America, Mauritius, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Niger, Belize, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, China, Liechtenstein, Lao PDR, New Zealand, Togo, Thailand, the European Union (on behalf of its 28 member states), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Guyana, Côte d’Ivoire, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Kenya, Myanmar, Norway, Viet Nam, Brunei, Ukraine, Zambia, Lesotho, Georgia, Seychelles, Jamaica, Mali, Cambodia, Paraguay, Turkey, Brazil, Macao China, the United Arab Emirates, Samoa, India, the Russian Federation, Montenegro, Albania, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Madagascar, the Republic of Moldova, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Iceland, Chile, Swaziland, Dominica, Mongolia, Gabon, the Kyrgyz Republic, Canada, Ghana, Mozambique, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Concluded at the WTO’s 2013 Bali Ministerial Conference, the TFA contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues. It further contains provisions for technical assistance and capacity building in this area.