Mozambique approval of AfCFTA tariff offer to take place this quarter – Notícias
Club of Mozambique | 27 January 2025
Mozambique approval of AfCFTA tariff offer to take place this quarter – Notícias
Mozambique is awaiting approval of its tariff offer at the next Summit of Heads of State and Government this quarter, in order to effectively begin commercial transactions within the continental free market.
This process follows the order’s approval in November of last year by the ministers of commerce of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), at a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In the meantime, according to Ali Mussa, Deputy Director of Foreign Trade, the creation of the body that will ensure the effective implementation of the agreement is already underway.
“Mozambique is committed and is in the process of formalizing the National Implementation Committee, involving all stakeholders in the foreign trade ecosystem. It is expected to begin operating this quarter,” he said.
In August 2024, the Mozambican government approved the Tariff Offer and the National Implementation Strategy to enable the country to access the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, which supports member states in implementing the agreement and minimize possible negative impacts associated with the process.
In addition, the approval allowed Mozambique to start using the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), provided by the African Export-Import Bank in partnership with the AfCFTA secretariat. This system facilitates intra-African trade transactions for companies on the continent.
Mozambique’s tariff offer, as detailed by Ali Mussa, presents a progressive liberalization structure. The products are classified into Categories A: live animals (cattle, pigs and breeding stock) vegetables, fishing boats and shrimp feed; B: eggs and ornamental fish, and C: sugar, cereal flour, beans and tomatoes.
Liberalization for Category A will occur in 10 years and for Category B in 13 years. The state decided to protect products in categories B and C to safeguard the competitiveness of the domestic industries.
