Although South Africa is yet to sign up, on 23 September 2016 the Kingdom of Bahrain has become the 93rd member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
The TFA will enter into force once two-thirds (66.67%) of the WTO membership has formally accepted the Agreement. According to the WTO, Bahrain’s acceptance means 85% of the ratifications needed for entry into force have now been received. Will South Africa sign up, or will it be one of the 33.33%?
In addition to Bahrain, the following WTO members have also accepted the TFA: Hong Kong China, Singapore, the United States, Mauritius, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Botswana, Trinidad and Tobago, the Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Niger, Belize, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Liechtenstein, Lao PDR, New Zealand, Togo, Thailand, the European Union (on behalf of its 28 member states – including the United Kingdom – for now), 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 and Saudi Arabia.