A senior African Union (AU) official has reiterated the continent’s readiness to deepen cooperation with China, with particular emphasis on infrastructural development.
In an interview with Xinhua news agency, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga said “Africa is more ready than ever” to strengthen ties with the Asian country, noting that it is “highly important” for trade facilitation under the planned free continental market.
“Under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, we have an action plan toward boosting intra-Africa trade,” Muchanga said. “The action plan has a cluster on trade-related infrastructure development in Africa, which aspires infrastructure connectivity in all corners of Africa.”
Noting that infrastructure development “is part and parcel” of the free trade pact,” the AU commissioner stressed that the African continent “needs large scale infrastructure projects in order to allow AU member countries to reach out to the market that the AfCFTA aspires to create.”
He further said that the organization was working with the government of China to connect the African continent in order to facilitate intra-trade among member states.
The AfCFTA aims to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, and thus pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African customs union.
The AfCFTA agreement is expected to create a market for over one billion people, with a GDP of approximately US$2.6 trillion.
The decision to establish the AfCFTA was initially arrived at in the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in January 2012, with a tentative launch date of 2017.
According to Liu Yuxi, head of the Chinese Mission to the AU, the AfCFTA will help forge closer economic and trade ties with China.
“Unimpeded trade and facilities connectivity are the core content of the joint construction of the Belt and Road by China and Africa,” Xinhua quotes Liu to have said. “The two sides are expected to build closer economic and trade ties by developing the free trade area and promoting the Belt and Road cooperation.”
China has signed memorandums of understanding with 39 African countries and the AU Commission on cooperation under the BRI framework.
