The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has disclosed that the Africa Union Commission (AUC) is expected to present a study report on the implications of joining the African Continental Free Trade Agreement for Zambian Trade.
Ministry Acting Permanent Secretary, Mando Pasi says she hopes this research findings will contribute towards addressing some of Zambia’s concerns with respect to the agreement.

She said this during the official opening of the High-Level Consultative meeting on AfCFTA held at Mulungushi International Conference.
Mrs. Pasi has urged all stakeholders to critically analyze the study to be presented and raise any concerns that may need further clarification and possible work.
The Acting Permanent Secretary has encouraged stakeholders to participate effectively as the critical questions asked and clarifications provided in the meeting will be useful towards preparations for negotiations and in making informed decisions with regard to the AfCFTA.
“You may be aware that Zambia is one of the countries that has not signed the Framework Agreement establishing the African Union Continental Free Trade Area and as such, during the 10th Extraordinary Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda, Zambia only signed the Kigali Declaration launching the AfCFTA,” she explained.
Mrs. Pasi noted that some of the critical reasons why Zambia did not sign AfCFTA Framework Agreement at the time was the need for analytical studies to be undertaken.
She added that it is for this reason that a number of consultative meetings have been held in preparation for negotiations under the AfCFTA, with one big sensitization meeting held at Inter-Continental Hotel in Lusaka in 2018.
The AfCFTA will only come into effect once Twenty-Two (22) out of Fifty-Five (55) Member States of the African Union ratify the framework Agreement establishing the AfCFTA.
The Expectation is that the threshold of 22 ratifications will be met and or exceeded by March 2019 for the Agreement to enter into force one month after the threshold is met.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement is a trade agreement between 49 African Union member states, with the goal of creating a single market followed by free movement and a single-currency union.
The AfCFTA was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018.

______________________________________________
MONEY FM IS ZAMBIA’S FIRST AND ONLY BUSINESS & PERSONAL FINANCE RADIO STATION. WE FOCUS ON BUSINESS AND MONEY-RELATED TOPICS, AS WELL AS GENERAL NEWS AND DISCUSSION OF WIDER SOCIAL TOPICS SUCH AS HEALTH, EDUCATION, FOOD, MUSIC, FITNESS AND MORE

____________________________________________