Africa-Press – Eswatini. Exporters who wish to trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can now start doing so, following the launch of the start of trade by all SACU countries as of January 31, 2024.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, announced that to export under the AfCFTA and take advantage of preferences, exporters were required to apply and register with the Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS) to be granted the certificate of origin (CoO). Khumalo said the CoO is a customs document that confers that the products are originating from Eswatini and are eligible for preferences. For more information on the registration process, interested parties may email enquiries to [email protected].
Communication
He further announced that the AfCFTA Secretariat would be visiting the country next month, to engage with traders and potential traders on the benefits of exporting under the AfCFTA. He said communication would be sent to the business community on these engagements. It is worth noting that the AfCFTA implementation strategy was launched on March 7, 2024, under the vision to provide a strategic road map for Eswatini to maximise benefits under the AfCFTA, targeting an annual regional export growth of 10 per cent. The AfCFTA seeks to give new motivation and dynamism to economic integration in Africa by largely increasing intra-Africa trade by focusing on diversified and value-added goods and stimulating investment and innovation within African countries. It presents a market size of 1.3 billion people in 54 countries and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$3.4 trillion.
Access
Currently, most Eswatini’s exports to Africa are destined for countries in Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The AfCFTA preferences are opening up new markets access opportunities and extending to other countries in the following regions; Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), East African Community (EAC) and countries above Sub-Saharan Africa.
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