The Agreement Establishing a Tripartite Free Trade Area among COMESA, EAC and SADC comes into force on 25th July, 2024.

In 2008, the members of the COMESA, EAC and SADC regional economic blocs agreed to commence negotiations to form a Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) with the main objectives of: (i) promoting economic and social development of the region; (ii) creating a large single market with the free movement of goods and services; (iii) enhancing the regional and continental integration processes; and (iv) building a strong TFTA for the benefit of the people of the region.

These objectives are anchored on three pillars namely, market integration, industrial development and infrastructure development.

On 25th June, 2024, Angola deposited the Instrument of Ratification, and this action achieved the threshold required for the agreement to come into force, being 14 out of the 29 Member States.

The coming into force of this Agreement presents opportunities for the Member States to achieve three key integration objectives: Market integration, Industrial development, and Infrastructure development.

The EAC Secretariat published this information following the 37th Tripartite Task Force Meeting, which took place on 20th July, 2024 on the sidelines of the 6th African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Accra, Ghana.

The Trade Negotiations and Investment Forum hereby calls upon all key stakeholders to reach out for support and/or assistance on leveraging the gains of the TFTA.