Mozambique’s government has approved a resolution on its tariff offer for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and a national strategy for its execution. This decision allows Mozambique to access the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund designed to help member states mitigate any negative impacts from the agreement’s implementation.

The approval also enables Mozambique to use the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) for intra-African trade and participate in the Guided Intra-African Trade Initiative for Goods, which focuses on developing value chains in sectors like ceramics, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.

Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of AfCFTA, highlighted the significant progress made towards establishing an integrated African market but stressed the importance of continued political will for full implementation. The AfCFTA, launched in 2018 and effective since 2021, aims to boost intra-African trade by eliminating customs duties on 97% of goods, liberalizing services, and improving trade infrastructure. The agreement covers a market of over 1.3 billion consumers and has the potential to significantly increase Africa’s GDP and reduce poverty. However, not all African Union members have ratified the agreement, with Eritrea being the only country opposed to its creation.