Deadline set for free trade area conclusion

Negotiations on removing the barriers to trade between three trade blocs – Comesa, EAC and SADC –  began on Monday (June 15) at the African Union (AU) summit following the signing of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement last week, and would conclude by the end of 2017, said Fatima Haram Acyl, AU trade commissioner.

The three groups cover a market of 26 countries with a combined economy of about $1 trillion. Nations will now work toward agreeing and ratifying tariff rules in line with an agenda agreed at the launch of the trade bloc, South Africa's department of trade and industry said in a statement on Friday.

"The fact that it has been signed is quite a milestone," Mark Schoeman, a researcher in the economic diplomacy programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs was cited by Africa Trade magazine as saying. "Usually there is quite a long window period to allow states to make the necessary changes before implementation,” he added.