The Minister for Industry and Trade, Dr. Selemani Jafo, met with Prof. Margaret Kamar from Kenya, who led a delegation from the Pan-African Parliament's Committee on Research and Advocacy for Trade, Customs, and Immigration.
The meeting, held on October 22, 2024, at the Parliament in Dodoma, focused on Tanzania’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) pilot program.
Dr. Jafo emphasized that Tanzania's success in implementing the AfCFTA has been significantly boosted by investments in key infrastructure such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), roads, and the purchase of passenger and cargo aircraft.
"The implementation of the AfCFTA in Tanzania has been greatly enabled by investments in key infrastructure like the Mwalimu Nyerere Dam, SGR, and various road networks, alongside the review of trade policies and laws," he said.
"These initiatives aim to enhance the transportation of goods, reduce costs, increase competitiveness of our products in the African market, and fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by AfCFTA."
During the meeting, Dr. Jafo responded to questions from the delegation, which included parliamentarians from Kenya, as well as other members from Tanzania, South Africa, Seychelles, Morocco, Benin, and Gabon.
He pointed out that Tanzania continues to make great strides in the AfCFTA pilot program due to efforts aimed at improving the business environment, including resolving trade challenges and removing non-tariff barriers between countries and regions where Tanzania holds membership.
"Tanzania is one of the eight priority countries selected to export 10 products starting from July 2023," he said.
"A total of 11 companies have successfully exported their products to various African countries using the AfCFTA certificate of origin, with 24 certificates issued so far."
He highlighted some of the major exports, including 426.4 tons of sisal fiber to Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, and Egypt; 273.3 tons of coffee to Algeria; and 21.1 tons of tobacco to Nigeria.
Dr. Jafo also explained that the Ministry continues to train and encourage businesses to seize these opportunities by selling high-quality products originating from Tanzania to the AfCFTA market, which consists of 54 African countries.
"AfCFTA provides an opportunity to export goods or services within Africa without non-tariff barriers to any member country, with reduced tariffs compared to previous conditions," he added.
Leading the Pan-African Parliament delegation, Prof. Margaret Kamar commended Tanzania's strong engagement in the AfCFTA initiative.
"Tanzania serves as an excellent model for the implementation of the AfCFTA pilot program," she noted. "As an active member of the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Tanzania has substantial experience in navigating trade challenges within regional communities."
Prof. Kamar further highlighted that Tanzania’s participation and proactive efforts in these regional bodies have positioned it to effectively implement the AfCFTA agreement.
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