AfCFTA and Tunisia agree action plan to strengthen continental trade implementation

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Monday announced an action plan with Tunisia to accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA and expand intra-African trade.

The plan was agreed upon by the AfCFTA Secretariat and Tunisia following a high-level visit to Tunis by AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene last Thursday and Friday.

During the visit, Mene held meetings with Tunisian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti, as well as Trade Minister Samir Abid, and engaged with members of the African diplomatic corps.

He also held discussions with members of the North African country's private sector at the Centre de Promotion des Exportations.

Tunisia was recognized as one of the most advanced AfCFTA State Parties, having ratified the Agreement in 2020, joined the Guided Trade Initiative, and domesticated its tariff schedule to enable preferential trade under the agreement.

More than 300 certificates of origin have been issued by Tunisian authorities, facilitating exports across African markets and reflecting the growing utilisation of AfCFTA trading instruments.

Mene emphasized practical tools for businesses, including the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which supports cross-border payments in local currencies, alongside digital trade facilitation platforms under AfCFTA implementation efforts.

Both sides agreed that future efforts would prioritize transport and logistics connectivity, the development of a Sahel–Mediterranean corridor, stronger private sector participation, and awareness-raising initiatives to deepen market access and trade flows.