The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyerematen has urged African governments to set up the necessary institutional and logistical support structures so that they can all profit equally from the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The Minister, who made this call at the launch of the Africa Guided Trade Initiative in Accra last Friday, underscored the need to have institutional structures and programmes of action for boosting intra-African trade to enable entrepreneurs to produce and take advantage of the huge market provided by the agreement.
He stated that governments must ensure that they have the logistics support required to move goods from one country to another.
According to Mr Kyerematen, the launch, "symbolizes that AfCFTA is not just on paper but a reality. And we are moving from talk and negotiations to action. It also symbolizes that governments in Africa who have been involved in the negotiations are now giving way to the private sector to make it a reality."
On his part, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene said at least 96 different products from the seven countries could be freely traded under the rules of AfCFTA.
He disclosed that products approved to trade under AfCFTA include horticultural products, pharmaceuticals, rubber, aluminium kitchenware, sugar, steel, and wooden products.
He stated these products would enjoy duty-free and quota-free trading among the partnering countries.
"This is the moment the founding mothers and fathers of the Organization of African Unity have longed for. We have finally honoured and made reality the vision of those who liberated our continent.
We are connecting East Africa to West Africa, and North Africa to Southern Africa. Trade will be the driver of inclusivity, creating opportunities for young Africans. So, we have taken the first journey today, and I hope in 15 years, we will have succeeded in lifting millions and millions of Africans out of poverty", he noted.
The guided trade initiative was launched for seven-member countries. These seven countries which have signalled their readiness to start trading under AfCFTA were Tanzania, Mauritania, Kenya, Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda, and Ghana.
