Zambia has submitted the instruments of ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement to the AU Commission.
The southern African nation deposited its instrument of ratification to the AU Commission through its envoy, making it the 36th AU member to fully accede to the agreement, the 55-member pan African bloc disclosed.
With Zambia’s ratification, only 18 members are left to comply with the requirement.
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which helps AU members in crafting their own national AfCFTA strategies, said on Monday that Zambia’s ratification comes as the country finalises its national AfCFTA strategy, which will guide its implementation of the agreement.
Trading under the continental free trade pact started officially on January 1 2021.
The UNECA, through its African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC), has been working with the AU Commission and member states to deepen Africa’s trade integration and effectively implement the agreement through policy advocacy and national strategy development.