By Mustpaha Jarju
A panel comprising Chairpersons of the Regional Caucuses of the Pan-African Parliament including Honourable AlagieMbowe, Chairperson of the West African Caucus earlier this week, shared their ideas and strategies among the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to accelerate the implementation of The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
The ideas and recommendations shared by the chairpersons of the regional caucus were that the Pan-African Parliament Members should collectively embark on political education to unbundle the AfCFTA to the people of Africa and its benefits to the population.
Also, they adopted policies and regulations for compensation to countries that may be negatively affected by the implementation of AfCFTA -build capacities of the local content or entrepreneurs of the continent.
Caucus Regional Chairs also call on the PAP to devolve powers to the African Union Commission to ably implement the policies of the Union, and provide support to the development of the continent for ease of transportation of goods and people.
They also provide ideas on strategies for PAP to resolve conflicts and disputes within the continent to achieve enhanced proper trade facilitation.
The chairpersons also recommend that the Pan-African Parliament should adopt a common African Language for ease of trade transactions among countries of the continent.
The caucus chairpersons expressed challenges faced by African countries in the implementation of AfCFTA saying border closure among countries is a big challenge undermining the successful implementation of AfCFTA.
“Many African countries lack the institutional ability to monitor and control activities around their land borders, which are essential to the verification and monitoring of the AfCFTA. Therefore, to combat smuggling and illicit practices across borders remains a challenge that has proven to undermine the agreement,” they told the PAP.
