African Continental Free Trade Area

De agreement wey come found AfCFTA dem broke am by de African Union (AU) den sign am by 44 of ein 55 member states for Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018."Forty-four African countries sign a free-trade deal". The Economist. March 22, 2018."44 African nations sign pact establishing free trade area". Arab News. March 21, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2019. Dema proposal come into after 30 days of ratification by 22 of de signatory states. Insyd 29 April 2019,Abdi Latif Dahir (April 3, 2019). "Africa's historic free trade deal now has enough countries signed up to go into force". Quartz Africa. de Saharawi Republic make de 22 deposit for instruments of ratification, wey dem carry de agreement into effect for May 30; ego enter ein operational phase as edey follow a summit for 7 July 2019,"AfCFTA Agreement secures minimum threshold of 22 ratification as Sierra Leone and the Saharawi Republic deposit instruments". African Union. April 29, 2019. den officially dem start am for 1 January 2021. AfCFTA ein negotiations den implementation dem oversee am by a permanent secretariat wey dey insyd Accra, Ghana.U.S. International Trade Administration, African Continental Free Trade Area (3 January 2022)."Akufo-Addo commissions and hands-over AfCFTA secretariat to AU commission". Joy online. Retrieved December 2, 2020. 

Under dema agreement, AfCFTA members be commit say dem go eliminate tariffs for most goods den services for a period of 5, 10, or 13 years, wey edey depend on de country ein level of development or ein nature of products. Dema general long-term objectives dey include creating a single, liberalized market; reduce barriers give dema capital and labour wey ego facilitate investment; develop regional infrastructure; den establish continental customs union."Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area" De overall aims wey AfCFTA dey carry be increase for socioeconomic development, reduce poverty, den make Africa more competitive for de global economy. 

Insyd January 13, 2022, AfCFTA dey take a major step towards ein objective plus de establishment of de Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) wey dey allow payment plus companies wey dey insyd Africa gonna be done for ein local currency. 

 Dema History 

 Dema Background 
For 1963 insyd, de Organization of Africa Unity dem establish am by de independent state for Africa. De OAU dey aim say ego promote cooperation give African states. De 1980 Lagos Plan of Action wey dem adopt am by de organization. De plan dem suggest be say Africa go minimize ein reliance for de West as dem dey promote intra-African trade. Dis dem start as dem dey create number of regional cooperation organization give different regions for Africa, wey de Southern African Development Coordination Conference. Dis lead am go Abuja Treaty insyd 1991, wey dem create de African Economic Community, ebe organization wey dey promote development for free trade areas, customs unions, African Central Bank den African common currency union."African Continental Free Trade Area: Policy and Negotiation Options for Trade in Goods" (PDF). unctad.org. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2019."African Union will launch operational phase of the AfCFTA at Summit in Niger". African Union. July 4, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019. 

Insyd 2002, de OAU dem change am wey e cam turn African Union (AU) wey eget one of ein goals be say ego accelerate de "economic integration for de continent"."Constitutive Act of the African Union" (PDF). au.int. African Union. Retrieved July 8, 2019. Article 3c: "accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent;" Dema second goal be "coordinate den harmonise de policies between dema existing den future Regional Economic Communities for de gradual attainment give objective for de Union.""Constitutive Act of the African Union" (PDF). au.int. African Union. Retrieved July 8, 2019. Article 3 (l): "coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union;"

 Dema Negotiations 
For de 2012 African Union summit for Addis Ababa, leaders for Africa agree say dem go create a new Continental Free Trade Area by 2017. At de 2015 AU summit for Johannesburg, de summit agree say edey start ein negotiations. Dis come start plenty of ein ten negotiating sessions wey etake place for over ein next three years.Signé, Landry; van der Ven, Colette (May 2019). "Keys to success for the AfCFTA negotiations" (PDF). Brookings. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

Dema first negotiation forum dem do am insyd February 2016 den do dema eight meetings wey until de Summit insyd March 2018 for Kigali. From February 2017, de technical working groups go organize four meetings, wey de technical issues wey dem discuss den implement insyd de draft. On March 8-9, 2018 de African Union Ministers of Trade Union Ministers of Trade approved de draft.tralac, trade law centre. "African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Legal Texts and Policy Documents". tralac.org. Retrieved March 28, 2018.

 2018 Kigali Summit 
Insyd March 2018, insyd dema 10th Extraordinary Session for de African Union on AfCFTA, three separate agreements wey dey signed: de African Continental Free Trade Agreement, de Kigali Declaration; den de Protocol on Free Movement of Persons. De Protocol give de Free Movement for Persons wey dey seek say dem go establish visa-free zone within de AfCFTA countries, den support de creation for African Union Passport.Gwatiwa, Tshepo T.; Sam, Michael Noel (March 14, 2018). "How the free movement of people could benefit Africa". The Conversation. Retrieved July 7, 2019. At de summit insyd Kigali on 21 March 2018, 44 countries go sign de AfCFTA , 47 sign de Kigali Declaration, den 30 sign de Protocol for Free Movement for People. While emake successful, wey two notable holdout: Nigeria den South Africa, de two largest economies insyd Africa.Shaban, Abdur Rahman Alfa (March 21, 2018). "Forty-four countries sign historic African Union free trade agreement". AfricaNews. Retrieved July 7, 2019."African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Legal Texts and Policy Documents". Tralac. Tralac Trade Law Centre. Retrieved July 7, 2019."African Union Legal Resources and Policy Documents". Tralac. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

One complicating factor insyd de negotiations be dat Africa gey already dem divide am into eight separate free trade areas den/or customs unions, each plus different regulations. Dese regional bodies wey continue go exist; de African Continental Free Trade Agreement initially dey seek say ego reduce trade barriers between de different pillars wey African Economic Community, den eventually use regional organisation as dema building blocks for de ultimate goal for an Africa-wide customs union.Balima, Boureima (July 8, 2019). "Economic 'game changer'? African leaders launch free-trade zone". Reuters. Retrieved July 8, 2019.Erasmus, Gerhard (March 22, 2018). "How will the AfCFTA be established and its Legal Instruments be implemented?". Tralac. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
+Declaration signed at de 2018 Kigali Summit"INDICATION OF LEGAL INSTRUMENTS SIGNED AT THE 10TH EXTRAORDINARY SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY ON THE LAUNCH OF THE AFCFTA". Tralac. Retrieved July 8, 2019.CountrySigned ByAfCFTA Consolidated Text
(signature)Kigali DeclarationFree Movement
ProtocolAlgeriaPrime Minister Ahmed OuyahiaYesYesNoAngolaPresident João LourençoYesYesYesCentral African RepublicPresident Faustin Archange TouadéraYesYesYesChadPresident Idriss DébyYesYesYesComorosPresident Azali AssoumaniYesYesYesDjiboutiPresident Ismaïl Omar GuellehYesYesNoEquatorial GuineaPrime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama AsueYesYesYesEswatiniPrime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso DlaminiYesYesNoGabonPresident Ali Bongo OndimbaYesYesYesGambiaPresident Adama BarrowYesYesYesGhanaPresident Nana Akufo-AddoYesYesYesIvory CoastVice President Daniel Kablan DuncanYesNoNoKenyaPresident Uhuru KenyattaYesYesYesLesothoPrime Minister Tom ThabaneNoYesYesMauritaniaPresident Mohamed Ould Abdel AzizYesYesYesMoroccoPrime Minister Saadeddine OthmaniYesNoNoMozambiquePresident Filipe NyusiYesYesYesNigerPresident Mahamadou IssoufouYesYesYesRepublic of the CongoPresident Denis Sassou NguessoYesYesYesRwandaPresident Paul KagameYesYesYesSahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicPresident Brahim GhaliYesYesNoSenegalPresident Macky SallYesYesYesSeychellesVice President Vincent MeritonYesYesNoSouth AfricaPresident Cyril RamaphosaNoYesNoSudanPrime Minister Abdalla HamdokYesYesYesTanzaniaPrime Minister Kassim MajaliwaNoYesNoUgandaPresident Yoweri MuseveniYesYesYesZimbabwePresident Emmerson MnangagwaYesYesNo

 Drafting of further protocols 
Negotiations go continue for insyd 2018 plus Phase II, wey edey include policies for investment, competition den intellectual property rights."African Continental Free Trade Area - Questions & Answers" (PDF). au.int. African Union. March 15, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2018. Insyd January 2020, AU Assembly negotiations dem see am as dem conclude am."Decision on the draft agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)" (PDF). au.int. African Union. March 21, 2018. Dem expect de draft for January 2020 AU Assembly."Decision on the draft agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)" (PDF). au.int. African Union. March 21, 2018.

 Dema Institutions 
Dem establish de following institutions say ego facilitate de implementation of de free trade area. For ein Phase II negotiations, dem go establish plenty committees as dem dey use dema protocols.Erasmus, Gerhard (March 22, 2018). "How will the AfCFTA be established and its Legal Instruments be implemented?". tralac Discussion. trade law centre. Retrieved March 28, 2018.

De AfCFTA Secretariat go be responsible for dema coordination for de implementation give de agreement den dem go be autonomous body wey dey insyd de AU system. Ego gey independent legal personality buh ego work plus de AU Commission den esan go receive ein budget from de AU. De Council of Ministers go be responsible for trade wey dem go decide de location for ein headquarters, ein structure, ein role den ein responsibilities. De Assembly of de African Union Heads of State den Government be ein highest decision-making body. Ebe likely say dem go meet during de AU Summits.Chidede, Talkmore (March 15, 2018). "The legal and institutional architecture of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area". tralac Discussion. trade law centre. Retrieved March 28, 2018. De Council of Ministers who be responsible for Trade de provide strategic trade policy oversight den esan dey ensure say dem implement den enforce de AfCFTA Agreement.

Dem establish plenty committees for trade insyd goods, trade insyd services, rules of origin, trade remedies, non-tariff barriers, technical barriers to trade den on sanitary den phytosanitary measures. Dispute resolution rules den procedures dem still dey negotiate am, buh dem go add designation for de dispute resolution body. De Committee for Senior Trade Officials dey implement de Council's decisions. De Committee be responsible for ein development for de programs den action plans wey dem implement am for de AfCFTA Agreement.

 Dema Implementation 
De AfCFTA see say dem go implement am in phases, den some of de future phases still dey under negotiation. Phase I dey cover trade insyd goods den trade for services. Phase II dey cover intellectual property rights, investment den competition policy. Phase III dey cover E-Commerce.

At de 2018 Kigali summit, areas of agreement wey dey find be trade protocols, dispute settlement procedures, customs cooperation, trade facilitation, den rules of origin. Dem san gey agreement say dem go reduce tariff for 90% for all goods. Each nation dey permit 3% goods from dis agreement. Dis be part of de Phase I of de agreement, wey dey cover goods den services liberalization. Some of de Phase I dey issues dey remain as dem dey negotiate say ego include de schedule de tariff concessions den other specific commitments.

De 12th Extraordinary Session for de African Union on AfCFTA be call am to launch de new agreement as dem come operate de phase, wey dem host am for Niamey on 7 July 2019."AfCFTA Agreement secures minimum threshold of 22 ratification as Sierra Leone and the Saharawi Republic deposit instruments". African Union. April 29, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.Meldrum, Andrew (July 7, 2019). "African leaders to launch continent-wide free trade zone". AP News. Associated Press. Retrieved July 7, 2019. For de launch, five operational instruments wey dey govern de AfCFTA wey dem activate am: "de rules of origin; de online negotiating forum; de monitoring den elimination of non-tariff barriers; a digital payment system; den de African Trade Observatory.""Operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area is launched at Niger Summit of the African Union". African Union. July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019. 

Phase II den III negotiations dem expect am to be initiate am by all AU member countries den hold am in successive rounds. Insyd February 2020, de AU Assembly of Heads of State den Government decide say de Phase III dem go begin am immediately de conclusion of Phase II negotiations, wey dem initially schedule am to conclude insyd December 2020. Buh, dema deadline delay sake of de COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, den new date be (December 31, 2021) be de new set deadline for de conclusion for Phase II den III negotiations. De AfCFTA officially buh largely symbolically launch am for January 1, 2021."After months of COVID delays, African free trade bloc launches". aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera English. January 1, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021. 

 Dema Membership 
Among de 55 AU member states, 44 sign de African Continental Free Trade Agreement (wey dem consolidate text), 47 sign de Kigali Declaration den 30 sign de Protocol on Free Movement of People for de end of de 2018 Kigali Summit. Benin, Botswana, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria den Zambia be among de 11 countries wey no sign dema initial agreement.Uwiringiyimana, Clement (March 21, 2018). "Nigeria keen to ensure Africa trade bloc good for itself: president". Reuters. After de 2018 Kigali Summit insyd Nouakchott on 1 July 2018, South Africa (de second largest economy of Africa), Sierra Leone, Namibia, Lesotho den Burundi join de agreement."More countries sign the African free trade area agreement". The East African. Retrieved April 7, 2019. Insyd February 2019, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia den Botswana san join. Kenya den Ghana be de first nations wey ratify de agreement, depositing dema ratification on 10 May 2018."Kenya and Ghana to ratify instruments of African Continental Free Trade Area | African Union". au.int. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018. 

Of de signatories, 22 need am to deposit de instrument of ratification for de agreement for am to come into effect, den dis occur am 29 April 2019 wen both Sierra Leone den de Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic de agreement."African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Legal Texts and Policy Documents". Retrieved October 30, 2019. As a result, de agreement come into force 30 days later on 30 May 2019. At dis point, only Nigeria (de continent ein largest economy), Eritrea den Benin no sign de agreement.  

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari no dey feel say he go join de AfCFTA, he dey fear say ego hurt de Nigerian entrepreneurship den local industries,Giles, Chris (March 22, 2018). "44 African countries agree free trade agreement, Nigeria yet to sign". CNN. den ein decision dem no praise by ein local groups wey edey include de Manufacturers Association of Nigeria"Nigeria's Buhari explains failure to sign continental free trade agreement". Retrieved December 24, 2018. den de Nigeria Labour Congress."Why Nigeria, South Africa did not join other Nations to sign Continental Free Trade agreement". Retrieved December 24, 2018. De Nigerian government make dema mind say dem go talk plus de private sector if dem go agree,"Why Nigeria had good reasons to delay signing Africa's free trade deal". Retrieved December 24, 2018. sake of de key concern say dem go agree or dem go prevent am sake of anti-competitive practices lyk dumping."Nigeria: Why We Are Worried Over African Free Trade Agreement - Dangote, MAN, LCCI". Retrieved December 24, 2018. Insyd July 2019, just months afta dem re-elect am into ein new term, Buhari agree say he go adhere to de Africa free trade at dema 12th extraordinary session of de assembly of de union on AfCFTA.Kazeem, Yomi (July 3, 2019). "Africa's largest economy is finally backing the continent's plans for a single free trade market". Quartz Africa.  

At de same meeting, Benin san commit wey dem come sign de agreement, leaving Eritrea as de only of de 55 African Union Member States wey no sign up to de deal.AfricaNews (July 6, 2019). "Eritrea now sole outsiders of free trade deal as Nigeria, Benin sign up". Africanews. Retrieved July 7, 2019."Nigeria finally commits to signing the Africa free trade agreement". The South African. July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019. Formally, Eritrea no be part of de initial agreement sake of de ongoing state of war, buh de 2018 peace agreement between Ethiopia den Eritrea come end de conflict den de barrier for Eritrean participation insyd de free trade agreement."Nigeria signs African free trade area agreement". BBC. July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.Jones, Mayeni (July 7, 2019). "Nigeria signs African free trade area agreement". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved July 8, 2019.Ighobor, Kingsley (August–November 2018). "Africa set for a massive free trade area". Africa Renewal. United Nations. Retrieved July 8, 2019."Status of AfCFTA Ratification". Tralac. Retrieved July 8, 2019.

As of May 2022, dem gey 54 signatories wey 43 (80%) gey deposite for dema ratification instruments.Ndlovu, Sitshengisiwe (July 23, 2020). "AfCFTA establishment pushed to 2021 by Covid-19". The Herald. Retrieved August 21, 2020."Statement of H.E. Mr. Wamkele Mene on the Occasion of Swearing-in as the Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat". African Union. March 19, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020."AfCFTA: Towards the African Continental Free Trade Area". Tralac. May 6, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020. Additionally, one country (Somalia) plete ein domestic ratification, buh no get dema deposit ratification plus de depository by May 2020."AfCFTA: Towards the African Continental Free Trade Area". Tralac. May 6, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020."Somalia approves Africa free trade area treaty for ratification - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Eritrea be de only AU member state wey no gey sign de agreement by 2019.   
+Ratification Status of African Nations"Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area". African Union. October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 14, 2019.CountrySignedDate of SigningRatifiedDate of RatificationDepositedDate of DepositAlgeriaYesMarch 21, 2018YesJune 7, 2021YesJune 23, 2021"UNECA announces initiative to spur role of AfCFTA in Africa's post-COVID-19 economic recovery". June 25, 2021.AngolaYesMarch 21, 2018YesOctober 6, 2020YesNovember 4, 2020Abdulrahman Olagunju (November 4, 2020). "Angola becomes 30th state party to the AfCFTA by depositing instruments of ratification".BeninYesJuly 7, 2019NoNoBotswanaYesFebruary 10, 2019YesYesBurkina FasoYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 27, 2019YesMay 29, 2019"Africa's Free Trade Zone Kicks-Off". Retrieved January 10, 2020.BurundiYesJuly 2, 2018YesJune 17, 2021YesAugust 26, 2021CameroonYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 31, 2020YesDecember 1, 2020Central African RepublicYesMarch 21, 2018YesApril 9, 2020YesSeptember 22, 2020Cape VerdeYesMarch 21, 2018YesNovember 13, 2020YesFebruary 5, 2022ChadYesMarch 21, 2018YesJune 29, 2018YesJuly 2, 2018"Five more countries sign, two ratify AfCFTA at AU Summit". Retrieved January 10, 2020.Ivory CoastYesMarch 21, 2018YesNovember 13, 2018YesNovember 23, 2018ComorosYesMarch 21, 2018YesYesRepublic of the CongoYesMarch 21, 2018YesFebruary 7, 2019YesFebruary 10, 2019Democratic Republic of the CongoYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 28, 2022YesFebruary 23, 2022DjiboutiYesMarch 21, 2018YesFebruary 5, 2019YesFebruary 11, 2019EgyptYesMarch 21, 2018YesFebruary 27, 2019YesApril 8, 2019"Egypt is 18th AfCFTA ratification instrument depositor". April 8, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.Equatorial GuineaYesMarch 21, 2018YesJune 28, 2022YesJuly 2, 2019"Gabon, Equatorial Guinea submit AfCFTA ratification to AU". Archived from the original on July 7, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.EritreaNoNoNoEswatiniYesMarch 21, 2018YesJune 21, 2018YesJuly 2, 2018EthiopiaYesMarch 21, 2018YesMarch 23, 2019YesApril 10, 2019"Ethiopia deposits instruments of ratification of AfCFTA". Retrieved January 10, 2020.GabonYesMarch 21, 2018YesJuly 2, 2019YesJuly 7, 2019GambiaYesMarch 21, 2018YesApril 11, 2019YesApril 16, 2019GhanaYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 7, 2018YesMay 10, 2018"Kenya and Ghana deposit instruments of African Continental Free Trade Area ratification". Retrieved January 10, 2020.GuineaYesMarch 21, 2018YesJuly 31, 2018YesOctober 16, 2018Guinea-BissauYesFebruary 8, 2019YesAugust 31, 2022Lusa. "Guinea-Bissau: Country is 44th member of African Continental Free Trade Area". Macau Business. Retrieved January 24, 2023.YesAugust 31, 2022KenyaYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 6, 2018YesMay 10, 2018LesothoYesJuly 2, 2018YesOctober 20, 2020YesNovember 27, 2020LiberiaYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoLibyaYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoMadagascarYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoMalawiYesMarch 21, 2018YesNovember 1, 2020"Malawi Ratifies AfCFTA after Submitting Instruments of Ratification". Retrieved February 22, 2021.YesJanuary 15, 2021"Malawi deposits AfCFTA ratification to AU". January 15, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.MaliYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 11, 2019YesFebruary 1, 2019MauritaniaYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 31, 2019YesFebruary 11, 2019"Deposit of the instrument of Ratification of the AfCFTA Agreement by Mauritania". Retrieved January 10, 2020.MauritiusYesMarch 21, 2018YesSeptember 30, 2019YesOctober 7, 2019MoroccoYesMarch 21, 2018YesFebruary 24, 2022YesApril 18, 2022MozambiqueYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoNamibiaYesJuly 2, 2018YesJanuary 25, 2019YesFebruary 1, 2019NigerYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 28, 2018YesJune 19, 2018"Niger deposits its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on the AfCFTA". Retrieved January 10, 2020.NigeriaYesJuly 7, 2019YesDecember 3, 2020"Nigeria has ratified Africa's historic free trade agreement—but its land borders remain closed". November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.YesDecember 5, 2020"Nigeria becomes 34th country to ratify AfCFTA agreement". December 5, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2021.RwandaYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 25, 2018YesMay 26, 2018"Rwanda becomes third country to ratify A.U. free trade pact". May 27, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020.Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicYesMarch 21, 2018YesApril 27, 2019YesSão Tomé and PríncipeYesMarch 21, 2018YesMay 28, 2019YesApril 30, 2019"African Union ECOSOCC". Facebook. Retrieved January 10, 2020.SenegalYesMarch 21, 2018YesMarch 12, 2019YesJune 27, 2019SeychellesYesMarch 21, 2018YesJuly 8, 2021YesSeptember 15, 2021 Sierra LeoneYesYesApril 19, 2019YesApril 30, 2019SomaliaYesMarch 21, 2018YesNoSouth AfricaYesJuly 2, 2018YesJanuary 31, 2019YesFebruary 10, 2019"President deposits SA's AfCFTA instrument of ratification". Retrieved January 10, 2020.South SudanYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoSudanYesMarch 21, 2018NoNoTanzaniaYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 17, 2022YesJanuary 27, 2022Tanzania Embassy in Ethiopia [@tanzaniainaddis] (January 17, 2022). "Ambassador deposits instrument of accession" (Tweet). Addis Ababa. Retrieved January 26, 2022 – via Twitter.TogoYesMarch 21, 2018YesJanuary 9, 2019YesApril 2, 2019TunisiaYesMarch 21, 2018YesSeptember 7, 2020YesNovember 27, 2020UgandaYesMarch 21, 2018YesNovember 20, 2018YesFebruary 9, 2019"Uganda deposits its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on the AfCFTA". Retrieved January 10, 2020.ZambiaYesFebruary 10, 2019YesJanuary 28, 2021"Zambian cabinet approves ratification of African free trade agreement". October 27, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2021.YesFebruary 5, 2021"Zambia is latest country to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement". February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.ZimbabweYesMarch 21, 2018YesApril 25, 2019YesMay 24, 2019"Zimbabwe's National Consultative Forum on the African continental free trade area slated for 19 June". Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.

 Oda AU member states 
Eritrea no sign sake of tension wey between dem den Ethiopia, buh as of 2019, as dem follow de 2018 Eritrea-Ethiopia summit, de AU Commissioner for Trade den Industry dey expect say Eritrea go eventually sign de agreement.

 Dema Human right assessment 
July 2017 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa report talk say de CFTA go help fight poverty den inequality as edey bolar for de continent top as ego change plenty insyd Africa economies. Dem san talk say ebe lyk ego help make African Union go achieve ein Agenda 2063 den de Sustainable Development Goals. De document dem target say ego tackle human rights as edey de negotiation insyd.Report: the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) in a human rights perspective. UN Economic Commission for Africa. July 2017. ISBN 9783958618596. Retrieved June 6, 2020."Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Continental Free Trade Area - Nine Priority Recommendations from a Human Rights Perspective" (PDF). UN Economic Commission for Africa. July 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2020.

According to de Food den Agriculture Organization, dem recognize de intersection wey dey de gender, agriculture, den trade, say ebe critical say ego ensure say dem implement de AfCFTA ein address de nuance den vary de challenges dat women plenty tyms dey face.Seizing the opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area for the economic empowerment of women in agriculture. Accra: FAO. 2021. doi:10.4060/cb6966en. ISBN 978-92-5-135021-8. S2CID 244712893. Ebe vital say dem go operationlise de AfCFTA agreement wey ego ensure say de future trade policies, practices den regulation wey go promote gender equality den empower women den girls for de African continent, especially in support of women to make dem seize new opportunities as de AfCFTA present for de agriculture insyd.

Implementation for de agreement dat no be inclusive for women wey fi result in widening gender gap by negatively affect women-led micro, small or medium-sixed enterprises den those who dey rely on de informal trade (wey dey include cross border) for dema livelihoods.

 San see 

 ASEAN Free Trade Area
 Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
 Central European Free Trade Agreement
 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
 Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area
 Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
 Council of Arab Economic Unity
 Free trade agreement
 Free-trade area
 Free trade areas in Europe
 Market access
 Single African Air Transport Market
 Rules of Origin
 Tariffs
 Tourism in Africa
 Tripartite Free Trade Area

 References 

Category:African Continental Free Trade Agreement
Category:African Union
Category:Economy of de African Union
Category:Free trade agreements
Category:2018 insyd economics
Category:2018 insyd international relations
Category:2018 establishments insyd Africa
Category:Trade blocs
Category:Politics of Africa
Category:March 2018 events insyd Africa