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Africa

Ethiopia approves AfCFTA as AU eyes Feb. 2019 implementation date
4-Feb-2019 Africa News
Ethiopia is the latest country to approve the African Union’s Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA pact after the cabinet passed the deal.
Manufacturers insist “no to African free trade”
31-Jan-2019 News Agency of Nigeria
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has again warned Nigeria against signing the African Continental Free Trade Area to save Nigeria from being a dumping ground for foreign goods.
India, Mauritius discuss fast-tracking of free trade talks
24-Jan-2019 The Hindu Business Line
India and Mauritius discussed initiatives to strengthen bilateral ties including the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement (CEPCA).
What the US-Africa strategy means for SA and the continent
8-Jan-2019 Moneyweb
The US-Africa Strategy seeks to re-position the US and bring it to par with China and Russia.
Why free trade will be a disaster for Africa
7-Jan-2019 Monde Diplomatique
African countries, backed by the EU, want internal and external free trade, which will wreck local agriculture, and rural economies and societies.
Why we are worried over African Free Trade Agreement — Dangote, MAN, LCCI
8-Nov-2018 Vanguard
Business groups have supported the Nigerian Federal Government’s delay in signing the African Continental Free Trade Area, stressing that adequate measure should be put in place to prevent dumping of goods into Nigeria and Africa countries in general.
Joint ITUC-Africa/ETUC/ITUC statement on the EU-Africa EPAs and EU-Africa trade relations
28-Oct-2018 ETUC
Trade unions from Africa and Europe have followed with grave concern the negotiation and conclusion of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and regional groupings in Africa.
The untapped potential of EU-Africa trade
23-Oct-2018 Project Syndicate
If the EU is to seize the economic opportunities that Africa offers, it will need to work with the continent’s leaders to forge a new kind of partnership that treats African countries as equals. Simply put, the new EU-Africa relationship must be based on trade, not aid.
Govt, business consult on Africawide FTA
13-Oct-2018 NewsDay
Government has opened consultations with industry on rules of origin (RoO) for the ambitious African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aimed at promoting duty-free flow of goods and services originating in the bloc.
’Moving into the heart of negotiations’ for Africa’s free trade agreement
12-Sep-2018 RFI
Some general concerns centre on the potential impact a continental free market could have on particular sectors of national economies.
EU’s Juncker eyes Africa free trade pact
12-Sep-2018 Reuters
The European Union could one day look to take advantage of African efforts to forge a free trade area within the continent to work toward a comprehensive continent-to-continent free trade agreement.
Tensions grow over the future of the ACP group
7-Sep-2018 Euractiv
The African Union wants to have a continent-to-continent dialogue with Europe, a change that could make the framework of the Cotonou Agreement implode and leave the Pacific and Caribbean states out in the cold.
An FTA between China, African nations will boost global trade
4-Sep-2018 China Daily
Many have suggested that China and African countries, represented by African Union, should launch a feasibility study on free trade and investment facilitation negotiation.
Africa prepares to drive a hard trade bargain with EU
4-Sep-2018 Euractiv
Increasing trade between the EU and the ACP, particularly African countries, lay at the heart of the ambition of the Cotonou Agreement. But it has not worked out that way.
US plans bilateral free trade agreements with African countries
29-Aug-2018 Premium Times
The US is looking for African countries that would be interested in having bilateral free trade agreements with.
Mauritius and Africa must avoid Chinese debt-trap
14-Aug-2018 New Dehli Times
Mauritius is the first African country that launched the FTA negotiations with China; MoU over the Belt and Road Initiatives is under negotiation.
Should Buhari sign the African Continental Free Trade deal?
14-Aug-2018 Punch
Six analyses from economists and stakeholders.
EU-Africa free trade will create more imbalances, say critics
9-Aug-2018 Deutsch Welle
Germany’s development minister has sparked a debate by calling for EU tariffs to be waived on African goods. Critics question whether import duties are really the issue, or are there other barriers to trade?
Small–scale farmers of Africa and Denmark reject free trade agreements
25-Jul-2018 La Via Campesina
Free trade agreements on farm products benefits primarily transnational corporations and furthers the industrialisation of agriculture. All at the expense of local food production.
US, African officials prepare for post-AGOA trade future
20-Jul-2018 ICTSD
The United States wants to pave the way for a free trade agreement between Washington and sub-Saharan African countries.