The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Mr. Alieu Secka, has reported that 54 African nations have committed to joining the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.
The senior official of the Chamber made the points while presiding over the opening of a one-day Information Sharing Forum organised by the Network of Financial and Tax Reporters (NFTR) in the Gambia, held recently at GCCI Conference Hall.
While pointing out that 33 countries have ratified the AfCFTA Agreement, Secka also noted many (of the countries) lack the customs procedures and infrastructure to facilitate tariff-free trade.
According to him, the perspectives of business which operate in the region, and are excited about how the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACTA), will help achieve the dream of 1.2billion people all across the continent, with a combined GDP of USD 2.5 trillion.
With respect to The Gambia, Secka said it gives them tremendous economies of scale, especially as a trading nation which re-exports some 80% of their total imports.
“However, we must endeavour to add value to our agricultural produce, improve our standards in processing and packaging, as well as train our youth better and more, if we are to fully benefit from this CFTA”, he challenged.
“Since 1979, we already tried ETLS-ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, which aimed at the operationalization of a free Trade Area. The ETLS-ECOWAS mechanism was supposed to ensure the free movement of originating products without the payment of customs duties and taxes of equivalent effect on importation into ECOWAS member states,” he added.
He further indicated that they (GCCI) are responsible, and the guarantors of another great ECOWAS Protocol on Inter-State Transit Trade, aimed at promoting the transport by road of a given Member state to another Member state, of goods in suspension of duties and taxes under the cover of a single document.
Secka pinpointed the widespread use of discretion on customs policies as one of the biggest issues across the board, adding that having strong outlined regulations which limit discretion, and which apply to everybody, “will be of great service for both travellers and authorities”.
Reason: He submitted that the use of favouritism would not occur, and the usual delays of citizens pushing back and forth with authorities would be limited. CEO Secka echoed the need for them to seize the chance of 2021 and CFTA, to make a lasting difference to all.
“Let us change mindsets of our officials, and tell them from now on, that they are Africans, not Gambians, Senegalese or Guineans,” he underlined.
