Kenya Among Countries Picked To Pilot Free Continental Trade

Kenya has been selected to pilot the continental free trade area that seeks to unlock the movement of goods and services in Africa.

Among six other nations, Kenya is to start trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework which will see these states conduct business without being subjected to tariff barriers.

Countries picked to champion the trial phase include Tanzania, Tunisia, Cameroon, Egypt, Mauritius, and Ghana. Kenya was among the seven selected from the 36 that had expressed interest in trading under the pilot phase.

“The initiative seeks to demonstrate that AfCFTA is functioning and send a political message to countries that are yet to submit their provisional schedules of tariff concessions in accordance with agreed modalities,” said AfCFTA council of ministers.

The pilot phase means that Kenya will now begin to access markets in West and Central Africa on preferential rates in trading with countries such as Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana which are on a different economic bloc.

Kenya is a member of the East African Community; Ghana belongs to the Economic Community of West Africa while Tunisia is a member of the Maghreb.

Kenya will trade selected products cutting across agro-processing, manufacturing and construction materials and automobiles. Goods traded include textiles, milk, cheeses, and horticultural products.

Kenya was the first country in the Eastern Africa Region to ratify the trade deal after the National Assembly adopted it.

AfCFTA, the largest free trade zone in the world, covers 54 African countries, 43 of which have already ratified the agreement, with 39 state parties officially recognized, including Rwanda.

Article By Sally Lizwa