The AfCFTA Secretariat has revealed that the continent of Africa is now ready to trade under the continental trading policy following the unveiling of the e-tariff book, rules of origin manual and the AfCFTA website on which all necessary information can be accessed to trade under AfCFTA.
Speaking to the Single African Market Programme, the Principal Communications Advisor of the AfCFTA Secretariat and spokesperson to the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ms. Grace Khoza, said: “For the first time we’ve got a website that we ourselves are very proud of; it’s looking very sleek and clean but importantly, it’s got the right information that, as I indicated, will empower each and every citizen on this continent who wants to access and know what we are doing as a secretariat”. She proclaimed this as she read out the website address as au-afcfta.org.
She explained that in addition to the AfCFTA website, tools and instruments such as the e-tariff book, the rules of origin manual and other documents that are intended to facilitate trading like the certificate of origin are all on the website.
“What’s important, Sam, is that we didn’t just put the instruments there, but so that what we are created to do, to empower and appreciate the transparency of this process needed to really be at the forefront of why we are doing what we do.” Ms. Grce Khoza explained.
She added: “All these tools are on the website for the purposes of transparency. So that if I want to know about the tariff that will be imposed on a certain product in Sierra Leone for example, I go there to the website and just download the information and I will find it”.
The Spokesperson to the AfCFTA Secretary-General hinted that the secretariat is embarking on a guided trade as a proof of concept to say to the continent and the world that now that all the required instruments are ready, trading under AfCFTA is possible for business people on the continent to start trading.
“So we’ve got couple of countries that have literally indicated that they are ready and want to be part of this guided trade. So under the guidance of the Secretariat, we are showing this to the world with the countries that have indicated that from a customs point of view, from the regulatory point of view they are ready to participate.”
Ms. Grace Khoza reminded party states of the AfCFTA that their National AfCFTA Coordination Offices are vital in making information accessible for effective implementation of the AfCFTA. She says the National Offices respond to the fact that businessmen and women know where to go for information, and also appreciate where their own governments are in their readiness or preparedness for them to start activating and taking advantage of the agreement. “What we are now trying to do as a secretariat and as part and parcel of our responsibilities as the department of communications is to work with those offices primarily because: one, we need to ensure that we disseminate the information that resides in this secretariat for the benefit of those member-states.”
The Principal Communications Advisor of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ms. Grace Khoza, revealed that those who are ready to trade under the AfCFTA can and should start trading under the AfCFTA without necessarily waiting for the impending AfCFTA Guided Trade to start and end. Therefore, the continent has officially laid all required instruments to commence trading under the AfCFTA.
