On 23 June 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area National Committee (AfCFTA-NC) met with members of the General Confederation of Enterprises in Cote d'Ivoire (CGECI) at the latter’s headquarters in the Plateau commune of Abidjan. The meeting aimed to inform and raise awareness among business leaders regarding the mechanisms designed to help them leverage the opportunities within the continental market.
During the session, business leaders expressed concerns related to transportation routes, securing trade, and importing essential inputs for industrial processes. They were presented with market access offers from different African countries and briefed on the rules of origin for the relevant products.
The technical—particularly IT—and structural mechanisms currently being finalized were presented to them to allow them to become familiar with these systems ahead of the effective implementation of the national strategy.
Fatoumata Fofana, Executive Secretary of the AfCFTA-NC, highlighted that the meeting was part of a broader initiative aimed at informing both public and private stakeholders about the agreement, its content, the ongoing negotiation process, and the national implementation strategy.
She emphasized that the objective was to establish a platform for dialogue and collaboration to maximize the benefits of the market.
Fofana noted that the AfCFTA-NC and its counterparts in other nations were born from the commitment of African Heads of State to make the initiative inclusive, ensuring its smooth implementation.
Elaborating on key principles, Fofana underlined the importance of preserving and building on the achievements of economic integration within the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). She highlighted the goal of increasing the intra-African trade rate from 16% to 50% by 2025 and the need for further liberalisation under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework. She was joined by Col Charles Gnakalé, Head of the Ivorian Customs Prosecution Office, and Cdt Yves N'Dri Tia, Head of the Rules of Origin Office.
Stéphane Aka-Anghui, Executive Director of the Cgeci, stressed the importance of aligning AfCFTA standards with those of existing integration bodies to ensure that economic operators see the advantage of engaging with the broader African market rather than focusing solely on traditional markets.
Kaladji Fadiga, Director General of Foreign Trade, provided reassurance on the commitment of governments to facilitate the smooth integration of sub-regional groupings into the AfCFTA.
By Aboubakar Bamba
Fratmat Info (https://www.fratmat.info/article/213612/conomie/zone-de-libre-echange-continentale-africaine-le-comite-national-discute-avec-le-patronat)