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Tripartite Free Trade Area

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The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) is a partially implemented African free trade agreement between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC).[1] The 29 tripartite member/partner countries represent 53% of the African Union's membership, more than 60% of continental GDP ($1.88 trillion), and a combined population of 800 million.[2]

Negotiations between the three trade blocs first began in June 2011.[1] On June 10, 2015, a deal was signed in Egypt, pending ratification by the participating countries.[3]

The TFTA entered into force on July 25, 2024, after the requirement of 14 countries ratifying the agreement had been met.[2][4] The 14 countries that now trade under the TFTA are Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, accounting for 75% of tripartite GDP in 2022. Djibouti has also ratified the agreement.[2]

The TFTA is intended to become part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which was kickstarted in 2015 at the 25th African Union Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa and is to include all 54 African Union states as members of the free trade area.[5]

Partner states

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Country Current Trade Zone(s)
 Angola SADC
 Botswana SADC
 Burundi COMESA & EAC
 Comoros COMESA
 Djibouti COMESA
 Democratic Republic of the Congo COMESA & SADC
 Egypt COMESA
 Eritrea COMESA
 Eswatini COMESA & SADC
 Ethiopia COMESA
 Kenya COMESA & EAC
 Lesotho SADC
 Libya COMESA
 Madagascar COMESA & SADC
 Malawi COMESA & SADC
 Mauritius COMESA & SADC
 Mozambique SADC
 Namibia SADC
 Rwanda COMESA & EAC
 Seychelles COMESA & SADC
 Somalia COMESA & EAC
 South Africa SADC
 South Sudan EAC
 Sudan COMESA
 Tanzania SADC & EAC
 Tunisia COMESA
 Uganda COMESA & EAC
 Zambia COMESA & SADC
 Zimbabwe COMESA & SADC

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tripartite Cooperation | SADC". www.sadc.int. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Trade Area to come into force 25th July, 2024". www.eac.int. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  3. ^ "Africa creates TFTA - Cape to Cairo free-trade zone". BBC News. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  4. ^ "EAC, Comesa, Sadc merger into seamless market begins Thursday". The East African. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Luke, David; Sodipo, Babajide (June 23, 2015). "Launch of the Continental Free Trade Area: New prospects for African trade?". International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
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