Côte d'Ivoire, a standout example in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, has hosted delegations from Niger and Tunisia since Monday, 14 March 2022, to share insights and experiences.
According to the text, under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, a programme of exchanges of experience on the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the AfCFTA national committees of the Cote d'Ivoire AfCFTA National Committee (CN-ZLECAf) was organised in collaboration with the GIZ.
This programme, which brought together Côte d'Ivoire, Niger and Tunisia on 14, 15 and 16 March 2022, is part of the project to support the implementation of the AfCFTA at continental, regional and national levels by German Development Cooperation through GIZ.
The main objective of this meeting between stakeholders from Côte d'Ivoire, Niger and Tunisia was to share experiences on the process of institutionalising National Committees under the AfCFTA and best practices for implementing the agreement.
Mrs. Mariama KONE, Technical Adviser representing Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Trade and Industry, Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, emphasized the Ivorian Government's ongoing commitment to strengthening trade relations and fully utilizing the opportunities presented by the AfCFTA. Dr. Benjamin LAAG, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Côte d'Ivoire, reiterated German Cooperation's continued support for the AfCFTA's implementation.
A wide range of stakeholders and experts from different countries and the African Union Commission took part in this discussion programme. Among the participants were customs colonels, general and central directors, experts from central banks and ministries of trade and industry.
The Executive Secretary of the AfCFTA-NC, Mrs. Fatoumata FOFANA BOUNDY, presented the institutional model of Côte d'Ivoire's national committee during a visit to its headquarters located at Deux Plateaux Vallons. She outlined the committee's operations, activities, and prospects to the delegations from Niger and Tunisia.
The event also included in-depth discussions, reflections, and the sharing of best practices, offering a valuable learning opportunity for participants from the three countries, who have different approaches to the operationalisation of the AfCFTA.
The Nigerien and Tunisian delegations then held several meetings, including with the private sector at the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d'Ivoire (CGECI), Ivorian customs, and with the Cabinet of the Minister of Trade and Industry.
Both delegations expressed their admiration for Côte d'Ivoire's progress in establishing an inclusive, operational National Committee, with a framework fostering public-private dialogue. They acknowledged Côte d'Ivoire's leadership in this process and indicated plans to replicate the model in their respective countries.
Côte d'Ivoire remains the first African nation to establish a fully operational AfCFTA National Committee.