This blog is one of three articles by Tamrat A. Gelu under the umbrella theme of Cooperation over the Blue Nile is the Way forward for Egypt. Part I…
Year: 2020
PART I: Taming the Nile: Historical Recap
This blog is one of three articles by Tamrat A. Gelu under the umbrella theme of Cooperation over the Blue Nile is the Way forward for Egypt. Part I…
New flagship project on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) spotlights trade opportunities for women and youth in Africa
The AfCFTA is an AU Agenda 2063 flagship initiative established to create an integrated continental market for goods and services and to support the movement of…
AfCFTA: Experts deliberate on impact on SMEs as CIPE
Formally launched by the Secretary of the national action committee, AfCFTA, Francis Anatogu,the launch had in attendance NECA, ANWBN, NASSI, MAN,…
Namibia concerned over AfCFTA trading - Truth, for its own
Namibia is amongst the 33 African member states that have signed and ratified the AfCFTA with the African Union Commission. Mbumba said although AU…
Thirteen Extra Ordinaty Session on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): The Assembly of the Union adopts decision on the start of trading
The AfCFTA will also improve the prospects of Africa as an attractive investment destination. It will help advance the empowerment of Africa’s women, by improving…
One month to start trading under AfCFTA, where does Africa
With trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, expected to start January 1, 2021, officials and experts say, a lot of ground as…
Ratification, border opening and stakeholders' views, as AfCFTA is set to commence January 2021
As the AfCFTA is expected to commence in January 2021, stakeholders discuss the ratification in view of Nigeria’s intended reopening of its land borders.
Bots disheartened by AfCFTA slow take-off
He said AfCFTA was a key pillar of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the continent’s broad 50-year development roadmap. Botswana, President Masisi said, was”…
IBAVT: A unified approach to AfCFTA | ALB Article
The introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) brings challenges, but those can be overcome to build a more competitive African economy,…
After AfCFTA free trade deal, who will be Africa's Estonia e-hub?
Come Jan. 1, Africa will be home to the largest free trade area in the world. Although the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), doesn’t go so far as to…
African youth urged to take lead in implementation of AfCFTA
African youth have been called upon to own and take lead role in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063. The…
Experts hail Nigeria's decision to reopen borders ahead of
The effective date for the AfCFTA agreement to come into force ought to have been July 2020, however, it was postponed to Jan. 1, 2021, as a result of the…
Bring on AfCFTA, says Malawi
Lilongwe – The Malawi government says it has put in place measures in readiness for the Africa Continent Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as it rolls out on January 1,…
Making the AfCFTA work for 'The Africa We Want'
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has been touted as an economic and globalization game changer because it has the potential to…
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Joint, practical efforts needed for Sudan to make the most of its strong points
We need to work together and in a very practical way so as to ensure Sudan benefits from the AfCFTA and makes the most of its strong points, its workforce,…
Mitigating short-term adjustment costs: Preparing for the AfCFTA
Trading under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) officially commences this Friday, January 1, 2021, after years of ambitious planning and…
What is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)?
What is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)?. African leaders attend a meeting to sign a free trade deal that would create a liberalized.
Africa, Entra in vigore l'accordo AfCFTA fra incertezze e
Le imprese africane si stanno attrezzando per l’apertura del mercato di 1,2 miliardi di persone, tra sfide sulle concessioni tariffarie, regole di origine e scambi di…
African startups can secure development funding through AfCFTA Vision Challenge
Ratified by 54 African nations, the AfCFTA creates a continent-wide free trade area, and is a strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and…
Why Tanzania should not fear AfCFTA
Dar es Salaam. Regional experts explained why countries should not fear joining the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which is touted as a game…
AfCFTA: Focus on manufacturing will boost diversification
The Federal Government announced its commitment to Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and says the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will…
AfCFTA: States should take advantage of continental free trade - FG
The Federal Government has asked states across the nation should take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement in a bid to…
UNECA hails Nigeria's ratification of AfCFTA deal as "strong
This sends a strong signal that the African continent is serious about regional integration and lays a robust foundation for successful implementation of the AfCFTA…
Banks Will Play Principal Role In AfCFTA - Azubike Chimezie Obi
The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) seeks to liberalize trade and services across the African continent, making it the largest free-trade…
74 percent of firms unaware of AfCFTA - Business Tracker
Barely two months to the start of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), only 26 percent of firms in Ghana are aware of the trade deal, the second…
Africa in the news: Post-election updates, Nigeria ratifies AfCFTA, and continued unrest in Ethiopia
Africa in the news: Post-election updates, Nigeria ratifies AfCFTA, and continued unrest in Ethiopia- Post-election updates in Cfte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Tanzania.
Only a few states ready for AfCFTA December target
Less than six weeks to the start of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, time is running out for countries to conclude and…
AfCFTA will boost Kenya cement demand - Bamburi CEO
Kenya needs cement to be able to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Exports such as flowers…
Ecobank Restates Commitment to AfCFTA
Also speaking, AfCFTA, Mene Wamkele expressed satisfaction that Nigeria is ready to deposit the instrument of ratification of the AfCFTA, noting that he is looking…
Progressive GERD Nile agreement for building trust between Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Sudan
This summer, record Nile River flow and flood resulted in devastating loss of life, human suffering, and property damage. East Africa was hit especially hard. These floods were primarily driven…
AfCFTA key in driving auto sector investment momentum on the continent - Nissan boss
AfCFTA key in driving auto sector investment momentum on the continent, Nissan boss. By Xolisa Phillip, in Johannesburg Posted on Thursday, 29 October 2020…
Nigeria - Ghana trade tensions: Proof AfCFTA may not bring unity
But looking to the complex trade relations already brewing in West Africa, many of the problems the AfCFTA is likely to face on the continent are already being…
UNECA hopeful AfCFTA will address Africa's investment challengesBusiness
Expected to kick off next year, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), will be a game changer for investment on the continent, which in recent years…
Ushering Trade and Investment to Africa with AfCFTA
This includes a moving effective date for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which slid from July 1 to possibly January 1, 2021, to avoid…
Establish single payment system to facilitate AfCFTA financials
He further called on member states to pay attention to digital infrastructural elements associated with the operationalisation of the AfCFTA in January 2021 in order…
Online tool boosts AfCFTA operations
She said that the ATO would be an essential tool in AfCFTA implementation. She added that RECs’ presence on the Steering Committee portrayed a united front…
AfCFTA is key to post-COVID recovery - Islamic Trade Finance
Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is fundamental to the post-pandemic economic recovery, Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO…
Trade Ministry signs framework for grant disbursement with
In his speech, the president reiterated the government’s commitment to assisting Ghanaian enterprises to take advantage of the coming into force of the AfCFTA.
AfCFTA an opportunity for Nigeria, others to re-configure supply chains'
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating a global crisis, cross-border trade legal observers have said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) deal,…
Govt to hold national conference on implementation of AfCFTA
The National Conference is organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) and the National AfCFTA…
Covid-19 and AfCFTA: why now is the time to maintain
The buzz and excitement around African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), hailed as the answer to a fully integrated pan-African economy, has…
Covid-19 and AfCFTA: Africa's path out of recession?
AfCFTA: key to Covid rebound? The economic recovery from Covid-19 in Africa will also require the boosting of trade, which suffered from coronavirus-related…
AFCFTA protocol must provide a fair regulatory environment
The AfCFTA drafters have a singular opportunity to fashion a regime that supports modern investment policies by promoting sustainable development while…
OPS: AfCFTA will Attract Multinationals to Manufacture in Nigeria
While there is general optimism surrounding the promise of the AfCFTA to aid economic development, there must also be recognition that, like all free trade…
AfCFTA protocol must provide a fair regulatory environment and protection for investors
The AfCFTA drafters have a singular opportunity to fashion a regime that supports modern investment policies by promoting sustainable development while…
UNECA analysis shows AfCFTA gains for Ghana
According to the assessment, AfCFTA modalities on goods trade will lead to an increase in GDP of all African countries, with a projected growth of between 0.35…
For the Sudan, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a matter of life or death
More than any other time in history, now is the time for regional cooperation in the Nile River Basin. In the summer of 2020, the Nile River reached its highest…
AfCFTA: Continental free trade will reduce value erosion of naira - FG
This was disclosed by Mr. Francis Anatogu, Secretary, National Action Committee on AfCFTA, in an interview with TVC News on Friday afternoon. On concerns É
Business leaders tell govts to accelerate AfCFTA talks
The AfCFTA is a framework agreement, covering trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. Protocols on trade in…
The GERD would have played a role saving lives and limiting property damage in Sudan
The people of Sudan are nowhere near where they ought to be. Towns and villages along the Nile, including the capital Khartoum, are underdeveloped and lack proper planning and supporting…
Africa, AfCFTA, The Private Sector and The Way Forward
GUEST COLUMNIST BY Abdul Samad RABIU. I start by congratulating African leaders on the opening of the AfCFTA secretariat last month. I believe the…
Beyond the normalization of climate change, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy is a must have insurance for the GERD
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) reached a significant milestone when the first year of the first stage filling, that is expected to span two years, was completed in July…
Zimbabwe: Rules of Origin Key to Success of AfCFTA
Member states agreed under the AfCFTA to liberalise 90 percent tariff lines of non-sensitive products within five years for developing countries and 10 years for…
Major historical agreements of the Nile Basin
The history of water use in the Nile basin is riddled with biased, one sided colonial treaties and agreements between colonial powers and their protectorates. Since 1891, a series of…
Lessons From Transboundary Basins Across the World
The Nile basin, for the first time in its history, is experiencing a change in the status quo of the region. This is largely due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance…
Future Growth of Ethiopia depends on the Acceleration and Harnessing of On-Grid and Off-Grid Solar Power
Ethiopia has a considerable renewable energy endowment, with an abundant hydropower potential, wind, solar and geothermal, as well fossil fuels. Hydropower constitutes almost 92.5% of the total energy mix and…
AfDB grants $5 million to AU for AfCFTA permanent secretariat
He appealed to member states that have not ratified their agreement to AfCFTA to do so before the next AU summit in December, saying it would pave the way for…
Interview: AfCFTA needs dedicated fund, strong leadership to
Interview: AfCFTA needs dedicated fund, strong leadership to succeed: expert. Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-25 10:05:47|Editor: huaxia. Video PlayerClose. ACCRA,…
Ghana hands over AfCFTA HQ to AU; commercial deal to start
The government of Ghana has officially commissioned and handed over the headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to the African Union in Accra
Africa: The first deal under AfCFTA gets under way as negotiators adapt to new virtual reality
The African Union announced in August 2020 that negotiations around the first commercial trade deal under the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (…
Commissioning of AfCFTA Secretariat signals Africa's new
During the official commissioning and handing over of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat (AfCFTA) building in Accra last week, Ghanaian…
GUTA demands clear rules of origin for AfCFTA
GUTA demands clear rules of origin for AfCFTA. Fri, 21 Aug 2020 Source: Goldstreet Business. The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is asking all key…
AfCFTA targeting first trade deal in 2021, African Union says
The African Union announced that the first commercial deal under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to take place on January 1,…
The Middle Ground: What Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan can Learn from Others
-A note by Ethiopian- and Sudanese-American professionals to the African Union. Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan have been in intense negotiation for the last several weeks. The three countries have…
Akufo-Addo To Hand Over AfCFTA Secretariat Building To AU Commission
President Akufo-Addo will, on Monday, August 17 hand over the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat Building to the African Union…
Corona makes AfCFTA more urgent than ever
Dr Matsheka said,”AfCFTA brings Africans together to reorganise themselves to achieve economic freedom, which should translate into solid and sustainable…
Less aid, more trade AfCFTA boost Africa's economic growth
Why would the AfCFTA succeed, when the billions of dollars in foreign aid that has found its way to African countries to aid the attainment of ‘self-sustainment’, has…
86% = 0% : pour commencer d’en finir avec l’équation inéquitable du Nil pour l’Éthiopie
Alors que le monde a les yeux rivés sur la pandémie Covid-19, ce juillet 2020 annonce le début de la fin d’une injustice séculaire sur l’utilisation des eaux du Nil.…
AfCFTA: Nigeria not ready for restrictive Rule of Origin
One of the objectives of the AfCFTA is to promote industrial development through diversification and regional value chain development, Agricultural Development,…
Africa must use AfCFTA delay to get everyone on board - Ecobank
The delay in the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) creates an opportunity to extend the market being created, Alain Nkontchou,…
The Toshka story and why the GERD needs to come online
In the past few years, Ethiopia’s energy requirements have increased immensely due to pressures in population, minimum living needs such as sanitation and lighting, and resource demands of vital projects…
Spotlight: Urgency mounts on Africa to fast-track AfCFTA to
The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could catalyze development and growth of Africa, and help the continent recover from the…
AfCFTA implementation pushed to January
Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, in a cheerful mood after the launch of AfCFTA on March 21, 2018 in Kigali.
Remembering Engineer Simegnew
Engineer Simegnew Bekele Aynalem was the first Chief Project Manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). From the inception of the project that he managed until his untimely death,…
The Nile Drama and the Quest for Fair Mediation
Some 85 years ago, in 1936, Emperor Haile Selassie I stood before the General Assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva to make a speech that would make him an…
Starting filling the GERD this summer is in the best interest of Egypt and Sudan
Favorable hydrologic conditions, not seen in the Nile River Basin for the last two decades, in some cases a century, should encourage negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Sudan. This…
Now is the time for Africa to implement AfCFTA, not later
African leaders have shot themselves in the foot by postponing the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) until 2021. Sub-Saharan…
The ABC triangle: Putting the AfCFTA, Brexit, and COVID-19 to work for Africa
If policymakers act fast to seize the opportunities that this “ABC” triangle of events offers and reset U.K-Africa trade relations, a win-win partnership can emerge.
Moving to the finishing line and not looking back
Recently the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, H.E. Gedu Andargatchew delivered a brief about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a hydroelectric dam construction on the Blue Nile River. His audience were…
A Sticky Situation: Breaking Down the Latest Impasse Between Egypt and Ethiopia
On June 19, 2020 Egypt, citing a failure to reach an agreement, sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) accusing Ethiopia of intransigence. The second of such…
Justice Delayed is Justice Denied
Ethiopians do not know the value of their water resources; they have yet to realize it. Dr. Seleshi Bekele. Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy of Ethiopia In the…
Can AfCFTA deliver on what it promises?
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretary-general Wamkele Mene has described the agreement as sending”a strong signal to the international…
AfCFTA will push on even if virus second-wave hits, says Wamkele Mene
The secretariat will take advice from health officials as it works to implement the deal and revive economic growth on the continent. While the agreement entered…
The AfCFTA will pave the way for a healthy post-pandemic Africa
At a high level, AfCFTA is focused on stimulating growth, creating employment and diversifying economies across the continent through the creation of a single…
The Treaty between Great Britain and Ethiopia of May 15,1902
By Alazar Feleke The 1902 Treaty has often been referred to a Treaty between Ethiopia and Egypt and that this treaty addressed the use of the Nile Waters. It should…
Pandemic highlights importance of AfCFTA
Arguably, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is just the game-changer the continent needs right now. The agreement is a necessary but not…
Nile River’s Peaceful Interaction to Underground. A Lesson to Those Who Live Above Ground?
Rivers do not flow in a vacuum. The Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world with its headwaters on the White Nile and its major tributary the Abay (Blue Nile) originating in the Ethiopian highlands.…
Wamkele Mene: Africa is fully committed to AfCFTA despite delay to start date
The start of trading for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) originally due to commence on 1 July 2020 has been delayed due to the Covid-19…
Coronavirus: The pandemic doesn't mean AfCFTA is on lockdown
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the greatest examples of Pan-Africanism since the creation of the African Union (AU).
AfCFTA: COVID-19 is a hiccup in delay says Afreximbank's president
TAR: How much of a blow to Africa’s economies is the postponement of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA)?. Oramah:…
Coronavirus: Africa needs AfCFTA to transform its economies
In good times, with Europe accounting for around 30% of African trade, there has been little appetite to upset the status quo. In times of economic unease, African…
FAO urges African leaders on AfCFTA implementation to tackle post-COVID-19 food crisis
The Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, Sunday, urged African leaders on implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, to tackle…
AfCFTA: Implementing Africa's free trade pact the best
Describe the impact of COVID-19 on AfCFTA so far? The African economy was set to grow at about 3.4% in 2019 and projected to increase to 3.9% in 2020, but…
Africa's free trade area is delayed by the coronavirus, but experts say it's vital to recovery
The AfCFTA, which was due to be implemented on July 1, will be the largest free trade area in the world, uniting 1.3 billion people in a $3.4 trillion economic…