Luanda - The Council of Ministers of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), including Angola, has been meeting since Monday in Accra, Ghana, to prepare the conditions for the start of preferential trade among countries of the continent.
The 9th Meeting of the Council of Ministers is discussing issues related to Rules of Origin and reviewing the Report of the 11th meeting of the Committee of Senior Trade Officials.
Angola is being represented with a delegation headed by the minister of Industry and Commerce, Victor Fernandes, ANGOP has learnt.
The Council is expected to resolve outstanding issues and politically guide negotiations, with a focus on Trade in Goods (Market Access), Regulation of Special Economic Zones (ZEE), Technical Barriers to Trade and Non-Tariff Barriers, Rules of Origin, Services Trade, among other diplomas of the meeting’s agenda.
The AfCFTA chief negotiator, Rui Livramento, said the entry into force of the trade between African countries will be an added value for all, particularly Angola, as it will allow greater integration in the region.
Rui Livramento added that the national economy is going through a period of structural transformation, with several investments in the industry sector, which will allow small and medium-sized industries to place themselves in a strategic position of supply in regional and continental value chains, taking into account the continent's demographic level of around 1.2 billion inhabitants.
"The progressive tariff reduction will be done gradually, and in the case of Angola in particular, as it is a less advanced country, it is expected that some fees in the presentation of the main list will reduce up to 0% in 2033", Livramento said.
Regarding the fact that Angola was chosen as the rapporteur for the working sessions of this 9th Meeting, Rui Livramento stated that it demonstrates the recognition of African countries regarding the country's commitment to the regional integration process.
Angola as part of the AfCFTA marks an important step in terms of the implementation of the Agreement with the submission of its Tariff Offer Proposal (List of Concessions) resulting from a long process of national consultations, within the framework of the implementation of the Agreement in line with the Market Trade Protocol.
This 9th Meeting has Gabon as its chair, while Egypt and Nigeria representing their regions are the vice-chair and Angola, on its turn, for Southern Africa is the rapporteur.
Countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana Nigeria and Rwanda present information on the National AfCFTA Implementation Committees and Secretariats, with a view to sharing experiences.
The Agreement creating the African Continental Free Trade Area entered into force on May 30, 2019 having currently 43 States , which represents about 80% of the 54 signatory countries.
It should be noted that trade under the AfCFTA was officially launched on January 1 , 2021, in accordance with the decisions of the 13th Extraordinary Session of the African Union Summit.
Still on the first day of work of this great session, there was the signing ceremony of an Agreement between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the AfCFTA, the presentation of the Secretary-General's Report on the current status of the AfCFTA, consideration of the Report of the 11th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Trade Officials and the 5th Meeting of the Directors General of Customs.
The 9th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers takes place under the motto “Steps towards the start of Significant Trade under the AfCFTA” and is scheduled to end Tuesday.
