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Africa


Here’s why China’s trade deal with Mauritius matters
Mauritius already plays an important role as an investment entrepôt for the subcontinent. This likely makes Sino-Mauritian ties even more important for the rest of the continent to watch.
Cabinet approves trade pact between India and Mauritius
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved signing of a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement, a kind of a free trade pact, between India and Mauritius which is aimed at liberalising norms to boost two-way commerce.
AfCFTA states terms for members in other pacts
African countries negotiating free trade agreements with parties from other parts of the world will be required to grant the same preferences or better terms to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) member states.
Will China help or hurt the AfCFTA?
African countries want to trade more with their partners on the continent – through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement that launched operations on 1 January – but will that hurt big trading partners like China?
Beijing expands Indian Ocean FTAs westward with Mauritius
China’s free trade agreement with the small island-nation of Mauritius came into effect in January, increasing the Asian powerhouse’s presence in the Indian Ocean where its regional rival India has long dominated.
AfCFTA and the economic emergence of Africa
Economists deconstruct the myth surrounding the trade agreement
UK-Africa trade: What will Brexit change?
UK has already inked post-Brexit trade deals with 13 African countries. These new agreements, which offer duty-free and quota-free access to British markets, aren’t much different to the old ones, as they are mainly transferring the conditions in the EU deals into bilateral agreements between the UK and the African nation, or blocs.
African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Red tape delays start of trading under new pact
All SACU members need to ratify the AfCFTA before any of its members can start trading under it. ECOWAS States were facing the same problem.
Nigeria: Dangote leveraging expansion under AfCFTA
Dangote Industries Limited has stated that its cement expansion plan and fertiliser investments will open new trade routes for the company and Nigeria under the trade deal.
African free trade tariff rules should be completed by July-official
Members of Africa’s new free trade area should complete their tariff reduction schedules and finalise essential rules of origin by July.
Partnership with a purpose: EU-Africa relations in 2021
The African Union sees the ‘partnership’ process, likely to culminate in a summit in Portugal in May or June, as an opportunity to overhaul the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) .
China-Mauritius FTA goes into effect. But who benefits?
China’s first FTA with an African country provides a stepping stone into the continent through the geopolitical hotspot Indo-Pacific region.
African free trade bloc opens for business, but challenges remain
African countries began officially trading under a new continent-wide free trade area, after months of delays caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.
China-Mauritius free-trade deal creates model for Beijing’s trade with Africa, observers say
Deal will ‘vitalise cooperation between our two countries and strengthen China-Africa economic ties’, head of African affairs at Chinese foreign ministry says.
Taiwanese eye Africa as investment destination amid marginalization
Taiwan’s Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association encouraged Taiwanese companies to take advantage of free trade deals in Africa.
In spite of its many sponsors, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goes into the wall
The sharp decline in manufactured goods trade and the growing food deficit over the past 25 years call for the African Union to be more modest in its ambitions to become “the next world manufacturing center”, far from the free trade illusion of the AfCFTA.
African ambassadors expect more cooperation with China under new FTA
The AfCFTA requires strong infrastructure linkage across the African continent, an area where China can reach out to help.
‘No African nation yet to meet AfCFTA requirements’
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) said no nation had met the requirements for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), despite the political will to get the pact ratified in good time.
EAC beats AfCFTA tariff offer deadline
EAC’s tariff offer now brings the number of countries to 40 that are ready to join the AfCFTA on January 1, when trading under the agreement starts.
AfCFTA: African Customs officials to draft free trade continental guidelines
Customs officials from around Africa gave a nod to the adoption of continental guidelines to facilitate the free flow of cross-border trade.