By Mariatou Ngum
Mr. Ndene Jallow, the manager of the Atlantic Seafood Company has assured the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of his company’s readiness to participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking during a sensitisation meeting at his office at Denton Bridge with the officials from the Trade Ministry, led by Mr. Abdoulie Jammeh, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr. Jallow informed that his company is involved in fish processing and exportation.
According to him, they export to South Africa, Ghana, and Equatorial Guinea among other countries. Therefore, he said participation in the AfCFTA provides good opportunity for the company’s investment.
Highlighting some of the constraints they face in exporting to African countries, the Atlantic Seafood boss said it takes longer time for a container to reach an African destination than Europe. He however expressed hope that the AfCFTA will look into the constraints they are faced with.
The AfCFTA Agreement promotes closer economic integration among subscribing countries and will, among other things, enable the region increase intra-regional trade, including in fish and fishery products through the elimination of import duties, barriers and distortions to trade; such as quotas, and other non-tariff barriers.
The Ministry’s visit to the Atlantic Seafood Company is part of its public information campaign, particularly to the business community, on the significance and benefits of the AfCFTA.
DPS Jammeh, accompanied by the Mr. Ousman Bojang, Director of Trade, and other officials of the Ministry, explained to the Atlantic Seafood Company the purpose of the Agreement and the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative, which he said is to kick start commercially meaningful trade in order to promote trade among African countries.
He said it is observed that African countries mostly trade with the rest of the world, particularly the western world - Europe, American; and Asia - more than they do among themselves. According to him, this is the reason the African authorities agreed to establish the continental free trade area where businesses invest in Africa and are able to trade in Africa, and in the process they would gradually improve intra-Africa trade.
Commenting on the state of manufacturing in The Gambia, the DPS said it is not yet developed to be able to take advantage of AfCFTA. However, he said there are number of companies that have the capacity to participate in AfCFTA and Atlantic Seafood is one of them.
Mr Jammeh also spoke at length on the Trade-in-Service and the Guided Trade Initiative. He indicated that the Trade-in-Service is also one of the areas through which The Gambia has capacity to participate in the AfCFTA. He explained that the Guided Trade Initiative, on other hand is a deliberate initiative by the AU Authority to be able to kick start commercially meaningful trading under the AfCFTA.
The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union that aimed at integrating Africa’s markets in line with the objectives and principles highlighted in the Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community.
The main objective is to expand and accelerate intra-African trade and increase trade among African countries through the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers; as well as harmonisation of standards, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, custom cooperation and border procedures and other trade related regulations. The realisation of the AfCFTA objectives also requires capacity building and investments in the productive sectors, services and trade related infrastructure.
