African Union's Outgoing Head Calls On African States To Promptly Sign AfCFTA Trade Deal

ADDIS ABABA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2019) African states that still have not signed the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), should do so as soon as possible, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said during the opening ceremony of the African Union 32nd Summit on Sunday.

Nigeria still has not signed the agreement alongside five other members of the African Union.

"The CFTA was signed and now less than one year later it stands only weeks away from entering into force thanks to the accelerating pace of ratification.

We commend Guinea Bissau for signing the instrument during this summit, also Botswana and Zambia and encourage those who have not done so to sign as soon as possible," Kagame said.

The AfCFTA agreement was signed in late March by 44 out of the 55 members of the African Union at its summit in the Rwandan city of Kigali. The accord seeks to progressively eliminate tariffs on intra-African trade, which prior to the agreement stood at an average of 6.1 percent across the continent, as well as removing other trade barriers.