Africa's free trade area comes into force as Gambia ratification

The much awaited Africa Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA), which is expected to scale up intra-trade, will finally come into force after The Gambia ratified it on Tuesday.

It is the 22nd country to so. The agreement, enacted one year ago by 44 African heads of state and governments in Kigali, Rwanda, needed a minimum of 22 countries to ratify for it to come into effect.

The CFTA seeks to create the largest trade zone in the world. According to UN Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA), it is expected to increase intra-African trade by 52 percent by the year 2022 and remove tariffs on 90 percent of goods.

Lamin Jobe, Gambia's trade Minister, while presenting the motion before lawmakers said it will address the country's international trade difficulties.

"This document will definitely serve as a take-off point to enhance the free movement of people, good and services. By using this there is a lot of advantages that we can gain from the implementation of this agreement," he said.

Celebrating the occasion, Vera Songwe, the executive director of UNECA called it a golden moment, on her twitter handle. "Breaking geographic, logistic & regulatory barriers #theafricawewant @ECA_OFFICIAL @_AfricanUnion @AUTradeIndustry @ATPC Impossible until it is done" N. Mandela'."

Albert Muchanga, the commissioner for Trade and Industry at the Africa Union also took to his twitter account. "Good news! The Parliament of The Gambia has APPROVED ratification of #AfCFTA Agreement making us meet the minimum threshold. The AfCFTA market is being born and is one step ready for launch of its operational phase in July this year."

The CFTA is expected to remove trade barriers, increase investments in industrialization and infrastructure expansion and consequently create jobs for the world's fastest growing labor force.