As a precursor to the African Union (AU) Heads of State Summit on accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the 11th Council of Trade Ministers meeting took place in Gaborone, Botswana, from 11 to 12 February 2023. The event was chaired by Yves-Fernand Manfoumbi of Gabon.
According to the final communiqué issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the Council's agenda included adopting the outcomes of the 14th meeting of Senior Trade Officials (STOs). Key issues addressed were the ministerial regulation on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), unresolved rules of origin in the automotive and textile sectors, and reports from the Committee on Digital Trade and the Committee on Women and Youth in Trade.
The Gaborone gathering brought together approximately fifty trade ministers from across the continent. In his opening remarks, Yves-Fernand Manfoumbi, as Chairman of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers, called on his counterparts to work diligently, emphasizing the need “to make continued progress towards the common ideal of seeing our economic and trade area grow and prosper.”
CREDIT : GABON REVIEW