AU member states have responded rapidly to the call to sign the AfCFTA and by the end of July 2019, 54 out of the 55 AU member states had signed the agreement. However, currently only forty-four (44) member states have ratified the agreement and are considered state parties to the AfCFTA. The African Union (AU) declared 2023 as the year of “Acceleration Of AfCFTA Implementation”, focusing the attention of the AU member states on the importance of moving beyond negotiations and ratification to implementation of this important paradigm-shifting continental agreement.
The AU’s insistence on an acceleration of AfCFTA implementation resonates significantly against the backdrop of the complex negotiation process that is currently underway. The AfCFTA offers an opportunity for member states to address the complexities experienced by state parties wishing to trade more effectively across regional borders and seeking to cohere around the development of regional value chains as Africa faces an increasingly complex geo-political and economic terrain.
The key objective of the roundtable is to provide a platform to exchange views on key challenges inhibiting negotiations and full implementation of the AfCFTA agreement, while at the same time acknowledging the successes achieved thus far. The roundtable draws on researchers from across the continent and further afield that have been closely tracking the negotiation process.
Speakers:
- Pamla Gopaul, AUDA-NEPAD Agency
- Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, SAIIA
- Dr Brendan Vickers, Head of International Trade Policy Section, Commonwealth Secretariat
- Mr Dode Seidu, CEO, Africa Trade Academy
- Dr Justin Visagie, HSRC
- Mr Thabelo Muleya, Senior Associate, Tutwa Consulting
- Dr Francis Mangeni, Head of Trade Promotions and Programmes, AfCFTA Secretariat
Please enquire about in-person attendance with Ms Laura Rubidge on Laura.Rubidge@saiia.org.za, please note that seats are limited.
We look forward to your attendance and participation.