Angola is in the final stages of joining the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area (FTA), a move expected to enhance regional trade and economic integration.
The SADC Secretariat, with support and funding from Germany’s BMZ and the European Union via GIZ, recently hosted a Trade Negotiating Forum (TNF) in Luanda to finalise Angola’s accession.
Once formalised, Angola will become the 14th member of the SADC FTA, marking a significant milestone in the bloc’s trade liberalisation efforts.
Dhunraj Kassee, SADC’s Director of Industrial Development and Trade, emphasised the strategic importance of Angola’s accession, noting that it will reduce tariffs, eliminate non-tariff barriers and facilitate smoother trade within the region.
“This accession unlocks immense economic opportunities as Angola will benefit from reduced tariffs and the elimination of non-tariff barriers, promoting smoother trade within the region,” Kassee said in a statement on Friday.
He expressed confidence that the move would be endorsed at upcoming TNF and SADC Committee of Ministers of Trade meetings in May and June 2025, leading to full ratification and implementation.
The SADC FTA, established in 2008, aims to promote intra-regional trade by removing trade barriers among member states.
It serves as a foundation for Africa’s broader economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to create a single market for goods and services across the continent.
JN/APA