Speaking on Friday at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during an inaugural meeting of the Committee of Heads of State and Government overseeing AfCFTA implementation, held on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Assembly, Ruto who is the chairperson of the committee cited Kenya’s strong trade ties with Tanzania and Uganda through the East African Community as proof of the potential benefits. He noted that while Asia conducts about 65% of its trade internally and Europe nearly 70%, Africa remains around 18%, underscoring the urgency for leaders to accelerate AfCFTA implementation to strengthen trade, industry and employment across Africa.

“I can give an account of Kenya here. The largest trading block for Kenya by far is Tanzania and Uganda because of the East African Community, that opportunity exists for all of us through the AfCFTA and that is why the implementation of AfCFTA is critical, is important for us to be able to create jobs, to create industry and to trade better so that our contribution of trade within Africa stops being the least in the globe. We all know that today Asia trades with itself to the level of 65% of trade, Europe almost 70%. In Africa we are still struggling to get to 18% and that is why this meeting of heads of states to help push the implementation of AfCFTA is critical and is central,” he said.

–ChannelAfrica–