TANZANIA: SISAL fibre is the leading product that the country has been exporting to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the last one year.
Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that since the country started selling to AfCFTA, a total of 426.4 tonnes of sisal fibres have been sold to Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco and Egypt year to date.
The second on the list for export was 273.3 tonnes of coffee, sold to Algeria and 21.1 tonnes of tobacco sold to Nigeria. Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, said the country exported 720.8 tonnes of various products since the AfCFTA initiative started last July.
“Tanzania was among the first eight countries in Africa that were qualified to sell goods through AfCFTA initiative, under the certificate of origin last July,” Dr Kijaji told the Daily News over the weekend.
The minister, who is an economist, said already 24 companies in the country have qualified to trade under AfCFTA.
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However, only eleven have managed to export out of which three firms are owned by women. Dr Kijaji named some of the women-owned firms as ANISIA Group which sells clove products in Morocco and AJA Limited which sells sisal ropes in Ghana and Algeria.
“The success is attributed to seminars and awareness creation session conducted by the ministry in collaboration with Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) and Confederation of Tanzania Industry (CTI),” Dr Kijaji said.
The ministry has completed a national strategy to smoothly implement the AfCFTA agreement, aiming to increase exports under the treaty.
Last week, the Zanzibar Second Vice President, Mr Hemed Suleiman Abdulla said that to further implement the AfCFTA agreement, member states should focus on improving trade infrastructure and investment environments.
“We need to create a friendly environment for SMEs to ensure access to affordable loans, business education, and marketing so that they can fully participate in regional and international businesses,” Mr Abdalla said.
Good infrastructure is the basis of economic development , this is the reason all AfCFTA member countries need to ensure that the roads, railways, ports, and airports are improved to facilitate trade and transportation of goods and services easily.
Speaking during the 17th AfCFTA held in Zanzibar last week, the AfCFTA Secretariat Secretary General, Mr Wamkele Mene, said the adoption of the protocols on digital trade and women and youth in trade at the 37th summit of the African Union heads of state in February this year signifies the conclusion of negotiations and establishes the foundation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
“This adoption signifies the conclusion of negotiations and establishes the foundation of the AfCFTA Agreement. With the adoption of these protocols, the African Union has taken a significant step in the economic integration of our continent,” said Mr Mene.