Africans have no idea what AfCFTA is – Venaani

McHenry Venaani

Member of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) McHenry Venaani on Tuesday said ordinary Africans don’t understand the meaning and objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

He said the major challenge to the realisation of an AfCFTA agreement is of a political rather than economic nature.

Venaani noted that as long as people are not educated about the ambitious continental trade agreement, it will remain a pipe dream.

“For us to effectively implement a working AfCFTA agreement, we must unbundle the political question,” he said.

He said the PAP needed to adopt a strategy to educate Africans to understand and conceptualise the trade agreement.

“Africans that we prepare to represent do not understand and know what we are talking about. The information that we have as political actors, as trade actors, and as trade lawyers is only known by us,” he said.

Venaani, the deputy chairperson of the PAP committee on trade, customs and immigration matters, made the observation during a panel discussion in Midrand, South Africa.

The panel discussion during the PAP session centred on the role of the continental parliament in implementing the AfCFTA agreement.

He said the AfCFTA represents a window of opportunity for African countries to promote intra-African trade, diversify and structurally transform the continent’s economy, and pursue important human rights and anti-poverty goals.

“However, the harmonisation of national priorities to achieve regional and global public goods will require firm political will, determination, and coordinated efforts by African political leaders,” Venaani said.

At the top of political priorities, Venaani said, is a need to bring into the agreement countries that are still not part of it, such as Benin, Eritrea, Zambia, and Nigeria.

“In particular, there are two issues that currently hamper the accession process – the concern that the elimination of tariffs could put the survival of national products at risk. And the issue of compensation for those countries that rely on customs duties to consolidate their fragile national budgets,” he said.

He said it is necessary for Africa to adopt cohesion policies and ad hoc measures to support the specific needs of different types of countries and national actors to make the AfCFTA an inclusive and mutually beneficial agreement.

According to Venaani, this can be achieved through the creation of an adjustment and compensation fund for countries that will be negatively affected by the structural and regulatory changes introduced by the agreement.

He also urged that capacity-building programmes be promoted to ensure that all African countries and stakeholders are fully aware of the AfCFTA’s objectives, rules and mechanisms, and are able to capitalise on its benefits and opportunities.

In March 2018, 44 out of 55 African Union (AU) member states signed the treaty establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area. By May 2019, 24 member states had ratified the trade agreement.

Amos Masondo, who chairs the PAP Southern African Caucus, said international trade is an important driver of economic growth and poverty reduction.

However, he said the AfCFTA stands at a significantly lower level at 15% compared to other regions like Europe at 59%, Asia at 51%, North America at 37%, and Latin America at 20%.

“To address this situation, concerted efforts are needed from states, regional economic communities and the AU to foster greater trade integration within the continent,” Masondo said.

PAP East Africa Caucus chairperson Terrence Mondon called on the PAP to actively participate in the implementation of the AfCFTA.

Mondon said the continental parliament should serve as a focal point in the implementation of the free trade agreement.

These include the formation of interest groups, including various parliamentary committees to represent specific issues related to the AfCFTA.

He said the PAP needed to harmonise laws and policies in various sectors, including energy.

Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!

Latest News