African Chamber President Calls for Resolution of AfCFTA Technical Issues to Tap into Big Market
African countries have to tap into the big market potential of Africa through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by taking concrete measures and solving technical issues, African Chamber of Commerce President Kibur Gena said.
The Ethiopian economist told ENA that the technical issues and challenges should be resolved to freely trade with lower tariffs in markets of African countries.
The president noted that the agreement allows free trade area, lower tariffs, and free movement of traders and investors in the continent.
It also widens market opportunity for African countries, he added.
According to Kibur, Africa would be the biggest market place in the future because it has a youthful population holding purchasing power and high consumption. Continents like Europe have mostly elder population with better pension, but low consumption and purchase which are signs of unfavorable market.
Yet, the remaining technical issues related to the free trade area agreement have to be fully resolved to effectively implement the agreement, he pointed out.
The agreement potentially frees trade exchange in African countries and lowers tariff of products to some extent. However, some technical issues remain unresolved and could hamper the execution of the continental agreement, the president explained.
With these issues resolved, the agreement would allow countries in the continent, including Ethiopia, to freely trade, invest in African markets. And this is an encouraging move to unlock the huge market potential which benefits Africans.
Kibur, nevertheless, stressed that unlocking the big African market potential will require time, policy, and expansion of markets.
Challenges, including poor infrastructures and excessive border bureaucracy, will not disappear overnight, the economist stated.
The Africa Continental Free Trade Area will bring together all 55 member states of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.2 billion people, including a growing middle class, and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 3.4 trillion USD.
African countries have to tap into the big market potential of Africa through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by taking concrete measures and solving technical issues, African Chamber of Commerce President Kibur Gena said.
The Ethiopian economist told ENA that the technical issues and challenges should be resolved to freely trade with lower tariffs in markets of African countries.
The president noted that the agreement allows free trade area, lower tariffs, and free movement of traders and investors in the continent.
It also widens market opportunity for African countries, he added.
According to Kibur, Africa would be the biggest market place in the future because it has a youthful population holding purchasing power and high consumption. Continents like Europe have mostly elder population with better pension, but low consumption and purchase which are signs of unfavorable market.
Yet, the remaining technical issues related to the free trade area agreement have to be fully resolved to effectively implement the agreement, he pointed out.
The agreement potentially frees trade exchange in African countries and lowers tariff of products to some extent. However, some technical issues remain unresolved and could hamper the execution of the continental agreement, the president explained.
With these issues resolved, the agreement would allow countries in the continent, including Ethiopia, to freely trade, invest in African markets. And this is an encouraging move to unlock the huge market potential which benefits Africans.
Kibur, nevertheless, stressed that unlocking the big African market potential will require time, policy, and expansion of markets.
Challenges, including poor infrastructures and excessive border bureaucracy, will not disappear overnight, the economist stated.
The Africa Continental Free Trade Area will bring together all 55 member states of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.2 billion people, including a growing middle class, and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than 3.4 trillion USD.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday that he had “fruitful conversation” with presidents of Senegal, South Africa and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“My appreciation to President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC for the constructive phone discussions,” Abiy twitted.
The prime Minister also underlined Ethiopia’s commitment to cement its bilateral and continental ties with those countries.
“We will continue working on strengthening bilateral and continental relations,” he said.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency