João Lourenço today highlighted the importance of advancing the process of economic integration on the African continent, considering that the current level of trade is far from possible and desirable
“Angola considers it important to move forward with this process of economic integration at the level of the continent, taking into account the opportunities it provides for the integration of the Angolan business class in the most diverse productive sectors of the continent and, thus, using this platform as a pole attracting investments, both direct and on the stock exchange, ”said the Angolan head of state in his speech at the African Summit dedicated to the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is taking place today.
According to João Lourenço, in the scope of the agreement that created the African Continental Free Trade Area, Angola is “developing the internal process of elaborating the proposal for the dismantling of national tariffs, based on the negotiated modalities adopted for the trade of goods, and then establish the roadmap for trade in services ”.
“Without prejudice to our integration commitments also made in the regional economic community in which the SADC [Southern African Development Community] is located, we expect that our offer for the trade in goods will be ready for review by the Commission on African Union and our partners on the continent within the agreed deadlines, ”he said.
