African Continental Free Trade Area enters into effect on 01 January 2021

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) is a premium project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 which aims to attain inclusive and sustainable development across the continent over the next 50 years. Its main motive is to boost intra-African trade by providing a comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade agreement among the member states, covering trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy.

 

The agreement was brokered by the African Union (AU) and was signed by 44 of its 55 member states in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018.

 

The AFCFTA consists of three Protocols, namely:

 

• Protocol on Trade in Goods; 
• Protocol on Trade in Services; and
• Protocol on Rules and Procedures on the Settlement of   Disputes. 

 

Trade under the AFCFTA starts on 01 January 2021 among countries having submitted their market access offers and ratified the Agreement.

 

We invite you to click on the link to have the list of countries and members of Customs Unions with which Mauritius can trade on preferential terms under the AFCFTA as from 1st January 2021.