Kenya on Thursday launched seminal exports to more countries under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with the inaugural shipment of 35 containers to South Sudan, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The maiden exports under the favourable trade agreement were facilitated by a new initiative championed by Real Sources Africa, AfCFTA's official trading company in Kenya.

The initiative, dubbed Trade Connect, seeks to facilitate shipment of 1 000 containers of Kenyan made goods to other countries on the continent under the AfCFTA framework in within the next one year. Real Sources Africa is a trade facilitation company working as the AfCFTA trade mobiliser in Kenya since January this year, behind the Trade Connect initiative meant to boost intra-Africa trade.

Felix Chege, Real Sources Africa chief executive said the inaugural shipment contained several Kenyan-made goods aggregated from both small-and large-scale traders, and is a testament that the continental trade area is amenable.

"This shows that it is possible, it demystifies the fact that trade is difficult. Trade is not difficult, as long as it's structured properly, it's possible," said Mr Chege.

AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, who flagged off the shipments along with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Wycliffe Oparanya, said the event marked a big step forward in the implementation of the continental trade area.

"Today is a notable next step which collectively brings us closer to our vision of small, medium enterprises being part of the implementation of the AfCFTA. -- The East African