The Pan Afrikanist Watchman
The coming into force of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) on 1st January 2021 is the most significant milestone in Africa’s integration agenda, says Botswana’s President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Opening the 49th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Gaborone Friday June 25, 2021 under the theme, ’’Leveraging the AfCFTA for Post-Covid Economic Recovery in Southern Africa: The Role of SADC Parliamentary Forum and National Parliaments”, Masisi told the region’s legislators that AfCFTA is one of the key drivers that can position Africa as an economic powerhouse.
Covering a market of close to 1.27 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product of over US$2.5 trillion, AfCFTA offers a golden opportunity with potential to open new horizons for regional economic cooperation in Africa.
To this end, Masisi said that there should be no reason why SADC and Africa as a whole cannot be major players that partake in global GDP at par with other regions of the world.
However, he pointed out that the successful implementation of the SADC integration agenda is a “prerequisite for the true realisation of the AfCFTA”. Additionally, Masisi said that domestication of AfCFTA at national level is central to the effective implementation of the Trade Agreement.
Given that these are issues that are within the purview of SADC’s national Parliaments, the President urged the legislators to focus their deliberations in the next few days on these issues with a view to proposing the way forward for Member States to carefully consider.
Masisi highlighted the importance of communication between Member States given that the discussions are taking place within the first six (6) months of coming into force of the Trade Agreement.
“Let me express the hope that the continuous negotiations within the framework of AfCTFA will move beyond trade in goods and services, and take into consideration, other issues such as intellectual property rights, investment and competition policy.
“These issues are directly connected to trade flows and they need to be further ironed out to ensure that the Free Trade Area operates without hindrances”, Masisi said.
The Plenary Assembly is being held virtually owing to COVID-19 pandemic, which has struck hard all nations of the world including the SADC region, which has not been spared from the global health crisis and economic recession.
The President was however confident that the region’s common set of values that “always bind us together” – unity, peace and development – remain the “foundation of our success and the pillar of our strength, even in the darkest hour of our time.
“And, I have confidence that collectively, we will emerge stronger and more unified, in the aftermath of COVID-19”.
The pandemic, Masisi said, has sparked a paradigm shift in the way nations have been doing business and demands that nations foster regional cooperation that will revive tourism, mining and other sectors of the economy, which will essentially contribute to economic recovery of the countries.
Masisi emphasised that the role of Parliamentarians has been key in ensuring effective responses to COVID-19.
“You have been critical in our engagement with communities and your sound advice to Governments provided the best possible measures to put in place in the fight against COVID – 19”, he applauded the legislators.
He said their role will even be more critical during the rebuilding of national economies and encouraged them to “move beyond political boundaries” but instead to put “our nations, our region and our people first”, for a quick economic recovery to take effect.
Among the distinguished guests were SADC Parliamentary Forum President and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Hon. Christophe MBOSO N’KODIA PWANGA,; Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana, Hon. Phandu Tombola ChahaSkelemani; Hon. Dr. FIAROVANA Lovanirina Celéstin, Vice President of SADC PF; Acting President of the Pan African Parliament, Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira; Speaker of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA), Hon. Martin Ngoga; Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidie Mohammed Tunis; Chairperson of the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Ann-Marie Mbilambangu; Members of the SADC Parliamentary Forum; SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax; Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Representatives of International Organisations as well as Members of the Fourth Estate.
combined Gross Domestic Product of over US$2.5 trillion. It therefore offers a golden opportunity with potential to open new horizons for regional economic cooperation in Africa.
Other sessions on Friday included the theme topic, ‘Leveraging the AfCFTA for Post-Covid Economic Recovery in Southern Africa: The Role of SADC Parliamentary Forum and National Parliaments’ , which ws chaired by Botswana’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Hon. Mmusi Kgafela.
It was followed by an address by the SADC PF President and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Hon. Christophe MBOSO N’KODIA PWANGA as well as presentations by Resource Persons, the first being Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene, then Dr. Khutula Sibanda, Director in the Directorate of Industrial Development and Trade, representing the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax.
Other presentations were by Phazha Butale, Chief Negotiator, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Government of Botswana; and Ms Paulina Mbala Elago, Executive Secretary of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU).
