Boosting intra-African trade – ECA’s agenda for ATF II

The agenda of increasing intra-African trade will not leave the tables of the continent’s leaders, experts and development institutions and agencies as preparations for the second Africa Trade Forum (ATF II) are underway.

The Forum is scheduled to be held from September 24-26, 2012 in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa under the theme, “Boosting Intra-African Trade and Establishing the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA)”.

It is a joint initiative of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Forum (ADF).

According to Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng, Head of the Africa Trade Policy Forum (ATPF) at the ECA, ATF II is being organized against a backdrop of increasing commitments to boosting intra-African trade and establishing a CFTA.

The outcomes of the first ATF in 2011 gave substantive input into the preparations for the January 2012 African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government meeting. The AU Summit chose “Boosting Intra-Africa Trade” as its theme and it formally endorsed a Framework, Road Map and Architecture for fast-tracking the establishment of the CFTA and an Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade,” .

In an ECA statement, Mr Kyeremanteng said the ATF II “will review key challenges in implementing the agreed Action Plan on Boosting intra African Trade and establishing the CFTA and forge an implementing strategy in that regard.”

“We have an ambitious programme of action for the development of trade in Africa to deliver on,” urges Kyeremanteng.

Officials say the forum will agree on specific inputs into the African Ministerial Conference on Trade to be held later this year.

It is also expected to adopt a Strategic Implementation Framework for the Action Plan on Boosting intra-Africa Trade and establishment of the CFTA; and strengthen commitment by African member States and trade constituencies to build effective strategic partnerships for implementation.

By Ekow Quandzie