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The Minister Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies has arrived in Niamey, Niger, West of Africa to participate in the 3rd African Union (AU) Ministers of Trade Meeting from 15-16 June 2017.

The AU Ministers of Trade will be officially opened by the President of the Republic of Niger, H.E. Mahamadou Issoufou. Issoufou was appointed as the Champion of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by the AU Assembly in January 2017.

The Ministerial meeting, which was preceded by the 6th CFTA Negotiating Forum and the 3rd meeting of Senior Trade Officials, will consider amongst others the progress made in the CFTA negotiations; the preparations for the 11th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO); as well as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Minister Davies says the CFTA that is currently under negotiation can be a driver of structural transformation for sustained economic growth and enhanced intra-Africa trade and investment in the continent.

“South Africa is, therefore, committed to a coordinated strategy to boost intra-Africa trade and to build an integrated market in Africa that will see a market of over 1 billion people and approximately US$2.6 trillion,” said Davies.

The 2nd meeting of the AU Ministers of Trade held in November 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, adopted the Terms of Reference for the Technical Working Groups for the of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).

Ministers of Trade will also make use of the opportunity to discuss the state of play in the WTO negotiations and the implications on Africa’s developmental priorities and the CFTA. Ministers will further discuss issues in relation to AGOA, including the utilisation of benefits by eligible Member States.

Issued by Departmen tof Trade and Industry