A total of 39 out of 55 countries have deposited their instruments of ratification for the historic agreement, which establishes the biggest single trade area globally, comprising 1.3 billion people and a cumulative GDP of $3.4trn.
South Africa’s neighbours, Botswana and Mozambique, as well as Morocco and Sudan, are among the 16 states whose instruments of ratification remain outstanding.
President Ramaphosa made the appeal during the official launch of the seven-day Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2021 at the Durban Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African coastal city took over hosting duties from Kigali, Rwanda, after the latter’s government failed to complete an exhibition centre because of constraints resulting from the outbreak of Covid-19.
The original agreement that helped found the AfCFTA was signed in Kigali. Trading under the AfCFTA started on 1 January 2021.
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