Consultation Workshop on the Participation of the Union of the Comoros in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
A consultation workshop on the participation of the Union of the Comoros in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was held at the Retaj Hotel in Moroni, from June 30 to July 1,2022. This workshop was organized by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Investments, responsible for Economic Integration in partnership with the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros. The workshop was attended by the Head of State H.E.M Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros who personally opened the workshop. The workshop was organized in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
The participants were senior national personalities from the administration, the private sector, civil society and the media as well as high-level external personalities such as Ms. Naila Abass Thabit, President of the COMFWB Comoros Chapter who chaired the session on AfCFTA opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs. In addition, the Director of the Sub-regional Office for East Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and a representative of the AfCFTA Secretariat were also in attendance. Participation by eminent personalities, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Director of the UNDP Regional Office for Africa, were made by videoconference.
Create a national consensus around the opportunity that the AfCFTA represents for the emergence of the Union of the Comoros, including women, young people and small and medium-sized enterprises;
Facilitate and encourage the ratification of the Agreement by the Assembly the ratification of the Agreement by the Assembly;
Facilitate a high-level consultation on the roadmap for the implementation of AfCFTA;
Highlight the available and potential offer of partners to best support the Government in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
According to the President of the Republic of the Union of the Comoros, Mr. AZALI ASSOUMANI stated that "For the Comoros, the holding of this workshop came at the right time within the framework of the implementation of the PCE (Emerging Comoros Plan) which considers the regional integration as an important lever for the emergence of the Comoros by 2030”. For the record, the Comoros signed the AfCFTA Agreement in 2018 but have not yet ratified it.
In order to identify how the country can make the most of the opportunities offered by the AfCFTA while mitigating possible adverse effects, a diagnostic study for the integration and a national strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement has been developed, funded by the European Union through the ECA, and was subject to the appreciation of the workshop.
A consultation workshop on the participation of the Union of the Comoros in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was held at the Retaj Hotel in Moroni, from June 30 to July 1,2022. This workshop was organized by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Investments, responsible for Economic Integration in partnership with the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros. The workshop was attended by the Head of State H.E.M Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros who personally opened the workshop. The workshop was organized in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
The participants were senior national personalities from the administration, the private sector, civil society and the media as well as high-level external personalities such as Ms. Naila Abass Thabit, President of the COMFWB Comoros Chapter who chaired the session on AfCFTA opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs. In addition, the Director of the Sub-regional Office for East Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and a representative of the AfCFTA Secretariat were also in attendance. Participation by eminent personalities, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Director of the UNDP Regional Office for Africa, were made by videoconference.
Create a national consensus around the opportunity that the AfCFTA represents for the emergence of the Union of the Comoros, including women, young people and small and medium-sized enterprises;
Facilitate and encourage the ratification of the Agreement by the Assembly the ratification of the Agreement by the Assembly;
Facilitate a high-level consultation on the roadmap for the implementation of AfCFTA;
Highlight the available and potential offer of partners to best support the Government in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
According to the President of the Republic of the Union of the Comoros, Mr. AZALI ASSOUMANI stated that "For the Comoros, the holding of this workshop came at the right time within the framework of the implementation of the PCE (Emerging Comoros Plan) which considers the regional integration as an important lever for the emergence of the Comoros by 2030”. For the record, the Comoros signed the AfCFTA Agreement in 2018 but have not yet ratified it.
In order to identify how the country can make the most of the opportunities offered by the AfCFTA while mitigating possible adverse effects, a diagnostic study for the integration and a national strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement has been developed, funded by the European Union through the ECA, and was subject to the appreciation of the workshop.
