The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on 7 July at the African Union (AU) summit in Niamey, Niger, has created the largest free trade zone in the world for 1.2 billion people with a gross domestic product of around US$3.4 trillion.
Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou hailed the AfCFTA as 'the greatest historical event for the African continent since the creation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963'. The AfCFTA agreement, signed by 54 of the 55 AU member states and ratified by 26 of them, aims to create a single continental market for goods and services, expedite regional and continental integration, and enhance competitiveness in industry.
...