All is set for the two-day regional trade forum for the Horn of Africa focusing on the implementation of the historic African Continental Free Trade Agreement that went into force on 30 May. The theme of the forum is: “AfCFTA Implementation: Breaking Down Geographical, Logistical and Regulatory Barriers to Trade and Investment in the Horn to Boost Industrialisation: A Focus on the Pharmaceutical Industry”. “Thanks to the AfCFTA, Africa is now in a position to say market size is no longer an issue for pharmaceutical manufacturers to engage in, for example, the local production of generic medicines on the continent,” the ECA Director noted. The regional trade forum will also provide an opportunity for stakeholders, from policy makers to commercial actors, from academics to civil society organisations, to explore the extent to which the AfCFTA can contribute to efforts to address Africa’s unique trade and competitiveness challenges. Once all 55 countries have joined, the African Continental Free Trade Area will cover at least 1.2 billion people and over $3 trillion in GDP.

Source: Ethiopian News June 26, 2019 14:15 UTC