AfCFTA and you: A bartender's lay view

The AfCFTA is a trade agreement signed by almost all African countries sometime in 2018 in the Rwanda capital, Kigali. The agreement is to commit the countries to remove tariffs on over 90% of tradeable goods, make trade in services simpler and cheaper if not free, and simplify other non-tariff barriers that inhibit and make trade cumbersome between African countries. This AfCFTA is to help ease doing business in Africa for the continent’s people and their ventures.

This is excitement for Africans, for countries like Botswana that have smaller populations, are landlocked, are surrounded by several great countries with a need to exchange goods and services with one another.  Botswana in particular has a relatively good road infrastructure network, rail links to neighbouring countries and a general hospitable environment to host, facilitate and drive trade.