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Botswana eyes AfCFTA breakthrough

Making history: Presidentm Masisi signing onto the AfCFTA in Addis Ababa in 2019. Most African countries have ratified it PIC: BW GOVT FACEBOOK
Making history: Presidentm Masisi signing onto the AfCFTA in Addis Ababa in 2019. Most African countries have ratified it PIC: BW GOVT FACEBOOK

Local trade negotiators believe they have found solutions that can resolve a four-year stalemate that has kept Botswana as one of a handful of countries yet to ratify the African Continent Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

AfCFTA, which came into operation last year, is an African Union trade deal that grants easier access to the continent’s 1.2 billion people who collectively represent a market valued at more than $2.6 trillion.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi signed onto the AfCFTA in 2019 making Botswana the 51st of 54 African nations to agree in principle to the continental trade deal. Since then Botswana has been hammering out the modalities of the deal both as a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and at the African Union level.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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