Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - Rwandan Minister of State in charge of East African Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, on Thursday expressed wishes to see all remaining member states of the East African Community (EAC) ratifying the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), noting that it now requires ratification by three countries to enter into force.
The AfCFTA was launched during an extra-ordinary summit of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government in March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Reports said Egypt was the latest country to ratify the agreement, bringing total African parliamentary approvals to 19 of which 15 have already deposited the formal instruments.
"Congratulations to Egypt for being the first North African country to ratify the agreement," the Rwandan minister said in a message on his Twitter handle.
AfCFTA, comprises 55 African countries and, once it enters into force, it will constitute the largest free trade area globally.
As a flagship project of the African Union's Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA aims to build an integrated market in Africa, with over one billion people and a combined GDP of approximately $3.3 trillion.
"I reiterate my call to the remaining three East African countries -- Burundi, South Sudan and Tanzania -- to seize this opportunity," Nduhungirehe said.
-0- PANA TWA/AR 28Feb2019
