Tripartite trade declaration signed in SA

The T-FTA will comprise 26 countries from the three regional groupings, including Zimbabwe, in what regional leaders say will boost the economic fortunes and regional co-operation on the African continent. In a meeting held in Sandton, Johannesburg this afternoon, Heads of State and Government from the three regional groupings also adopted the roadmap for establishing the T-FTA, adopted the T-FTA negotiating principles, processes and institutional framework and directed that a programme of work and roadmap be developed on the industrialisation pillar.
The summit was attended by more than 25 Heads of State and Government or their representatives, including Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe beginning in the morning and ending at 5pm with the signing of a communiqu. The African Union Commission, African Development Bank, United Nations Economic Commissions for Africa, Department for International Development of the United Kingdom and the Southern African Customs Union also attended the summit as observers.
The summit reviewed the progress made in implementation of the decisions of the First one that was held in Kampala, Uganda on October 22 2008, regarding programmes in trade, customs and economic integration, free movement of business persons and infrastructure development among the three groupings.
The summit noted the progress made in the implementation of the Tripartite Infrastructure programmes, commended the international cooperating partners and the donor community for the support that was pledged to the North-South Corridor at the High Level Conference held in Lusaka, Zambia in April 2009, read a communiqu from the summit.
The summit also invited the cooperating partners and donor community to support the Aid for trade programmes being developed for the other major corridors, especially the Tripartite and Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Infrastructure Investment Conference to be held in Nairobi, Kenya on September 29-30 2011, which will present priority projects and maritime corridors.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the three regional groupings chairpersons in January 2011, after which a task force was put in place to prepare for the just-ended summit.