By Rudo Saungweme

Zimbabwe is determined to reap the immense potential benefits that will result from fully implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Speaking at the AfCFTA validation workshop, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry, Ambassador James Manzou stated that the AfCTA Agreement which was launched in July in Niger by the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Assembly was done in cognisance of the potential that will result in full implementation of AfCTA.

"We all recall that Government on behalf of you all, our private sector, signed and ratified the Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).The Agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019, and was launched on 7 July 2019 in Niamey-Niger by the AU Extraordinary Assembly.

"This was done in cognisance of the immense potential envisaged in fully implementing the AfCTA,"said Ambassador Manzou.

Ambassador Manzou indicated that AfCTA will foresee great achievements of higher levels of industrialisation, employment creation, sustained economic growth and development, adding that the dream of Government is to make Vision 2030 a reality.

The AfCTA will bring together all 55 African countries, covering a market of more than 1.3 billion and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than US$3.4 trillion.

AfCTA offers significant potential to transform the economic landscape on the entire continent and is set to help countries achieve higher levels of industrialisation.

AfCTA also aims at, among others, creating a single market for goods and services as well as laying the foundation for the establishment of a Continental Customs Union in the future, promoting the attainment of sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development, gender equality and structural transformation of African economies.