Tariff modalities headache hit AfCFTA

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THE Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC) says the pending agreement on tariff modalities for critical sectors like textiles and clothing, fish and motor vehicles by member countries on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), is delaying operationalisation of the new platform.

For trade to happen under AfCFTA, in addition to ratification, a country needs to make a tariff offer to its partners. The process includes stakeholder engagement within government and the private sector. The free trade area is expected to open up trade to a market with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of circa US$3,4 trillion.