July 25, 2024: The COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) Agreement, has today, 25 July 2024, come into force. This follows the attainment of the required threshold of 14 ratification among the 29 Member/Partner States in the three regional economic communities.
The entry into force of the Agreement follows the depositing of Instrument of Ratification by Angola on 25th June, 2024. The attainment of this milestone was announced during the 37th Tripartite Task Force (TTF) Meeting, which took place on 20 July, 2024 on the sidelines of the 6th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Accra, Ghana.
TTF is comprised of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs); H.E. Elias Mpedi Magosi of Southern African Development Community (SADC), H.E. Veronica Nduva, of the East African Community (EAC) and H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
During the meeting, H.E. Magosi, who is current Chairman of the Tripartite Task Force, announced the attainment of the requisite threshold of ratifications. Member/Partner States that have deposited their Instruments of Ratification include Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These countries together accounted for 75% of the Tripartite GDP in 2022. The meeting was further informed that Djibouti had on 20 June 2024 notified COMESA Secretariat of its ratification of the Agreement and is therefore expected to deposit its instruments of ratification any time.
The Executive Secretary of SADC committed to continue the engagement with the Tripartite Member/Partner States that have yet to ratify the Agreement to do so.
“We urge the Member/Partner States to mobilize resources and support the implementation interventions, including setting up the necessary implementation structures,” he said.
The Decision to establish the Tripartite FTA was made way back on 22 October 2008 at the Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government. The objective was to enhance market access, address multiple memberships and further the objectives of cooperation, harmonisation, and coordination of policies among the three RECs.
The 29 Tripartite Member/Partner States represent 53% of the African Union’s membership, more than 60% of continental GDP ($1.88 trillion), and a combined population of 800 million.
The Tripartite framework is based on three pillars: Market Integration, which involves trade liberalisation through the creation of a Free Trade Area and arrangements for the movement of business persons; Infrastructure Development, which focuses on enhancing connectivity and reducing business costs; and Industrial Development, which aims to create a supportive environment by improving regulatory and legal frameworks, adding value, diversifying industries, increasing productivity and competitiveness, and implementing programmes for structural change.
COMESA Secretariat leads the Market Integration Pillar, SADC the Industrialisation Pillar and EAC the Infrastructure Pillar.
COMESA Secretary General expressed appreciation for the efforts that have achieved the required number of ratifications for the Tripartite FTA.
“To support the AfCFTA, we must ensure the Tripartite works effectively. I urge the Tripartite RECs to lead the work under their respective pillars to avoid duplication of efforts,” she said. She called for a careful examination of progress and strategies to upscale implementation levels, ensuring that benefits are realised by stakeholders in the Tripartite Member/Partner States.
EAC Secretary General, H.E. Veronica Nduva, highlighted the need to consolidate the Tripartite FTA through the Agreement’s implementation, to harness potential benefits, preserve gains and strengthen the participation of Member/Partner States in the AfCFTA.
“The fact that we have reached the required ratification threshold of 14 ratifications, developed modalities for implementing the Tripartite Agreement, finalised most aspects of the Rules of Origin, continued with engagements on tariff offers and developed the Tripartite Protocol on Competition Policy demonstrates that the Member/Partner States are committed to the process,” she said.
Progress has been made with the online Non-Tariff Barrier (NTBs) reporting and elimination mechanism being under implementation by 25 Tripartite Member/Partner States.
The meeting concluded with an agreement on a roadmap for launching the TFTA’s entry into force at the 4th Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government, planned for later towards the end of the year.