The Ghanaian Parliament has approved the agreement between the government and the African Union (AU) for the hosting of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Accra.
According to local media reports on Tuesday, the Key provisions of the agreement require that Ghana, as the host country, shall provide, at its own expense, a secure, equipped and furnished permanent premises for the secretariat.
The reports added the secretariat shall have a legal personality with the capacity to enter into a contract and acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property needed for its operations in accordance with the laws of Ghana.
It noted that the agreement requires that the Ghanaian government shall provide a secure, equipped and furnished official residence for the head of the secretariat, and shall guarantee the inviolability of the premises of the secretariat, which shall also be accorded diplomatic status.
“Officials of the secretariat and state parties to the AfCFTA agreement shall enjoy within the host country privileges and immunities as established by the General Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
“Member states participating in the work of the secretariat and representatives of non-African states accredited to the secretariat shall be entitled to the same privileges and immunities as accorded to diplomatic envoys of comparable rank under international law,” it said.
GIK/APA