newsletter Issue #: 654_22nd February, 2021 New Deadline set for Ratification of Tripartite Free Trade Area Ministers from the tripartite group of 1 regional economic communities in eastern and southern Africa have set June 2021 as the deadline to achieve the threshold of 14 ratifications required to enable the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) enter into force. This was set during the 2nd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Tripartite Council of Ministers that took place virtually on Monday, 15 February 2021. The new deadline coincides with the sixth anniversary since the launch of the TFTA Agreement on 10 June 2015 in Egypt. The tripartite group brings together Member/ Partner States of COMESA, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). adopted the guidelines for management and In their discussions, the Ministers noted that These guidelines will serve monitoring of safe cross border movement of the commencement of implementation of the as a basis for all tripartite persons and personal goods while mitigating Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Member /Partner States to the spread of the Coronavirus. this year, has provided the necessary impetus draft their national rules to to countries that have not ratified the TFTA facilitate the movement of Speaking at the meeting, the Chairperson, to do so. people and goods across all Hon. Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Minister of countries,” she said. Trade and Industry, Rwanda, urged countries “The countries that ratified the agreement to implement the guidelines. earlier have not realized the benefits they Zambia. had expected as they have been held back by “These guidelines will serve as a basis for those that have not,” the Ministers said noting all tripartite Member /Partner States to The Ministers advised countries to delink that some Member/Partner States have draft their national rules to facilitate the ratification with the ongoing negotiations. ratified the AfCTA but not the TFTA. movement of people and goods across all Besides, the team of experts conducting countries,” she said. the negotiations confirmed they will be The Agreement establishing the AfCFTA was concluded before June this year. signed in March 2018, (three years after the The guidelines will facilitate the TFTA) and entered into force on 30 May, 2019 harmonization of national guidelines for The COMESA, EAC and SADC Member and after attaining the threshold ratification of the re-opening of all modes of transport Partner States represent 53 percent of the 24 countries. The work already done under including air, land and sea borders for mass African Union membership, constituting the tripartite framework contributed to the movement of persons and personal goods in over US$1.4 trillion Gross Domestic Product speedy implementation of the continental line with national laws and regulations. (GDP) which is roughly 60 percent of African trade regime. continental GDP and a combined estimated The meeting was also attended by the Chief population of 800 million, making the Currently, 10 Member/Partner States have Executives of the COMESA-EAC-SADC, H.E. TFTA an important building block for the ratified the TFTA with four more needed to Chileshe Kapwepwe, H.E. Ambassador Liberat implementation of the AfCFTA. attain the ratification threshold. These are Mfumukeko and H.E Dr Stergomena Tax and Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Senior Officials. Besides the TFTA ratification, the Ministers ILO Director Mr. George Okutho and Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa and This bulletin is published by the COMESA Secretariat Corporate Communications Unit but does not necessarily represent views of the Secretariat. For Feedback: [email protected] Contact Address : COMESA SECRETARIAT, COMESA Center , Ben Bella Road P.O. Box 30051, +260 211 229 725, +260 211 225 107 www.comesa.int; email: [email protected] WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Malawi Unveils 50 Million African COMESA Toasts Women Speak platform African Union Appointments WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WEEKLY 2 alawi became the eleventh COMESA Malawi’s Minister for Gender, Community MMember State to launch the 50 Million Development and Social Welfare Dr. Patricia African Women Speak (50MAWSP) platform Kaliati, who attended the event virtually, in a colourful ceremony at the Capital Hotel described the initiative as “an opportunity in Lilongwe on 18 February 2021. The national to uplift Malawian women” and urged the launch was presided over by Malawi’s various stakeholders to play their roles in ollowing the re-election of H.E. Moussa Faki Minister of Trade Hon. Sosten Gwengwe. ensuring its success. FMahamat (in picture) as Chairperson of the African Union Commission during the recent Hon. Gwengwe applauded COMESA for The African Development Bank Country 34th Ordinary Session of the AU Heads of State launching the platform and stated that the Representative for Malawi Ms Eyerusalem and Government Virtual Summit COMESA has Malawian government was committed to Fasika said the platform would spur sent a message of congratulations. supporting the initiative. knowledge generation and sharing, adding that it has the potential to alleviate the “Your re-election demonstrated the high level “Women encounter challenges of financial challenges resulting from the COVID-19 of confidence and trust that the Member States and non-financial services which limit pandemic. have in your leadership and it provides an ideal business growth,” the minister stated, adding opportunity for the continent to implement that the platform would help women to Launched on the continent in November the various developmental programmes that develop market intelligence skills and build 2019, the 50 Million African Women Speak are meant to uplift the standards of living of networks with fellow businesswomen in platform aims to facilitate a dynamic and the African people,” Secretary General Chileshe Malawi and beyond. engaging exchange of ideas among women Kapwepwe stated in the message. entrepreneurs, using in-built social media Hon. Gwengwe challenged the local functionality to connect them with one As the biggest Regional Economic Community implementation team to find a way to reach another in ways that will foster peer-to- (RECs) recognized by the AU, she said COMESA out to women who cannot access the digital peer learning, mentoring and the sharing will continue to support the process of platform so that they too benefit. of information and knowledge within negotiations and implementation for the African communities, and access to financial Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) towards The COMESA Secretary General, Chileshe services and market opportunities between its full and successful implementation. Kapwepwe called upon Malawian women to urban and rural areas, and across borders. take advantage of the resources the platform Among the key COMESA-AU programmes offers in order to improve their businesses. The launch event was held through a hybrid are the Comprehensive African Agriculture arrangement where a limited number of Development Programme (CAADP) Trade “Your entrepreneurial journey starts local participants gathered physically at the Observatory Facility, peace and security and with a dream, it will be sustained by your launch venue were joined virtually by several youth programmes among others. passion, but should be fueled by the right invited guests. resources. The 50 Million African Women At the same time, COMESA congratulated the Speak platform is the one-stop shop for the newly appointed Deputy Chairperson of the AUC resources you will need to succeed,” she said. COMESA Bids Farewell to Departing Senior Staff 3 Mr Brian Chigawa Mr. George Lipimile Mr Innocent Makwiramiti hree COMESA senior staff have left the The COMESA Secretariat bid farewell to the three (ASG) for Programmes, and Administration and Torganization after serving their contracts / at a virtual send-off ceremony on Thursday Finance Amb. Dr Kipyego Cheluget and Dr Dev attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 18 February 2021. The former staff were Haman Respectively. The two ASGs commended years. They are Mr. George Lipimile, the Director commended for their exemplary contribution to the three staff for their consistent drive to ensure and Chief Executive Officer of the COMESA the COMESA regional integration agenda. that COMESA programmes were implemented Competition Commission, Mr Brian Chigawa, and the region made a mark on the continent. Director of Legal and Institutional Affairs, and “You each played an important role to drive the Mr Innocent Makwiramiti, Senior Private Sector COMESA agenda far and wide and through your They urged them to continue being ambassadors Development Officer hard work, we saw many programmes being of COMESA in their next phase of life. Former implemented which have greatly benefitted the colleagues in attendance wished them well in Mr Lipimile (Zambia) and Mr Makwiramiti region,” Secretary General Chileshe Kapwepwe their future endevours. (Zimbabwe) retired, while Mr Chigawa (Malawi) said. left after serving his full 12-year term as Director as provided for in the staff rules and regulations. The ceremony was attended by a cross section of staff and the two Assistant Secretaries General COMESA Toasts African Union Appointments continued from page 2 HE Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa of Rwanda. COMESA has also commended the re-election of Ambassador Albert Muchanga as Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining. “Your