Government says Malawi is still scrutinising the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) protocol and reviewing its position before the country rectifies the pact.

Ministry of Trade and Industry spokesperson Mayeso Msokera said this in an interview on Tuesday in the context of the country’s TFTA ratification status. 

He said the ministry has been consulting the private sector, seeking their endorsement for Malawi to proceed with ratification. 

Said Msokera: “Negotiations on some key issues such as rules of origin of certain products of interest to Malawi for instance textiles are still ongoing, the private sector holds key to the ratification.”

Officials at a depot where cotton is loaded for export

Meanwhile, information sourced from the Common Market for East and Central Africa (Comesa) indicates that 10 member-States, which include Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, eSwatini, Rwanda, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia have already ratified the agreement. 

The TFTA Agreement, however, requires 14 ratifications to enter into force. So far, 11 countries have both signed and ratified it.

Currently, 93 percent of the work on Rules of Origin has been completed, providing the basis for trade to begin. In addition, the legal texts have been concluded and adopted.

When drawn to comment on the matter, Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) president James Chimwaza said the Chamber is in full support of the agreement, but needs to look into some issues before it can give a go-ahead on ratifying the same. 

Comesa secretary general  Chileshe Kapwepwe has since appealed to  countries that have not yet ratified the agreement, Malawi included, to do so soon, so that it can be actualised.

“We urge Malawi to complete the ratification of the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement so that it enters into force and economic operators can then utilise the immense market opportunities offered. We will count on your support on this matter,” Kapwepwe said during an interface with Malawi High Commissioner to Zambia Margaret Kamoto last week.

The TFTA was launched in June 2015 by the Third Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government after more than three years of intense negotiations.

It is anchored on three pillars, namely market integration, industrial development and infrastructure development.

The agreement was established following the coming together of States from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to remove duplication and overlaps by other countries such as Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and EAC.

The TFTA has a population of 700 million people and a gross domestic product of $1.4 trillion.

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