ARUSHA, Tanzania, July 24 — The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) tripartite trade area agreement will come into force on July 25, the EAC said on Tuesday.
In a statement issued by its headquarters in Tanzania’s northern city of Arusha, the EAC said for the agreement to take effect, at least 14 out of the 29 member states of the three regional economic communities needed to deposit their instruments of ratification.
The agreement’s entry into force follows Angola’s deposit of an instrument of ratification on June 25, 2024, bringing the total number of instruments of ratification deposited to 14, the number required for the agreement to enter into force, said the statement.
The statement said the objective of establishing the COMESA-EAC-SADC free trade agreement was to enhance market access, address the issue of multiple memberships, and further the objectives of cooperation, harmonization, and coordination of policies among the three regional economic communities.
EAC Secretary General Veronica Mueni Nduva said the EAC was continuously engaging EAC member states that have yet to ratify the tripartite trade area agreement.
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