By JUDITH NAMUTOWE  –

THE COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFRA) has been launched setting the stage for the establishment of a single market for the 26 African countries in the Eastern and Southern African Regions.
In June 2011, the leaders launched the negotiations for the establishment of the Common Market for Eastern and South Africa (COMESA), Eastern Africa Community (EAC) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) TFTA which has now been realised within the set time-frame.
The tripartite Heads of State and Government and diplomats accredited to the three trade blocs representing their respective countries appended their signatures on the Agreement at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt last Wednesday.
The landmark signing of the TFTA comes seven years since the Heads of State and Government of the three Regional Economic Communities decided in their first Tripartite Summit of   October 22, 2008 in Kampala to deepen Inter-regional cooperation and integration amongst COMESA, EAC and SADC.
This is contained in a statement issued in Egypt and posted on COMESA website.
Leaders re-affirmed the developmental integration approach built on the three pillars of industrial development, infrastructure development and market integration that was adopted at the Second Tripartite Summit.
Tripartite FTA represents an integrated market of 26 countries with a combined population of 632 million people ,57 per cent of Africa’s population; and with a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$ 1.3 Trillion  in 2014  and  contributes 58 per cent  of Africa’s GDP.
The establishment of a Tripartite FTA is expected to boost intra-regional trade by creating a wider market, increase investment flows, enhance competitiveness and encourage regional infrastructure development as well as pioneer the integration of the African continent.
The statement said the leaders directed the Member States to expedite the process towards the operationalization of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area by finalizing outstanding issues.
These include the Elimination of import duties, trade remedies and rules of origin, which would form part of the TFTA Agreement.
“Following the signing, the Countries will proceed to initiate the ratification process through their legislative assemblies.
The Agreement will come into force once ratification is attained by three quarters of the Member States,” reads the statement.
The statement indicates that leaders also directed the commencement of Phase II negotiations covering trade in services, cooperation in trade and development, competition policy, intellectual property rights and cross border investments.
They further directed that all negotiations, including outstanding work be carried out in accordance with principles, processes and institutional structures as approved by Summit.
The Tripartite Sectoral Ministerial Committee on Trade, Finance, Economic Matters and Home/Internal Affairs was directed to develop a Roadmap on Phase II negotiations, providing timelines for key activities relating to the negotiations, their conclusion, and the implementation of the outcomes thereof.
The leaders further directed that work on the industrial and infrastructure illars which are complementary to the COMESA-EAC-SADC TFTA is expedited and negotiations on movement of business persons continue on a separate track.
Heads of State and Government the Tripartite Summit were Presidents Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt and Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Arthur Peter Mutharika of Malawi,  Hage Geingob of Namibia, Omer Hassan Ahmed Al -Bashir of Sudan and  Robert Gabriel Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Others were  Prosper Bazombaza, first vice President of   Burundi, Mohamed Ali Soilihi , vice President of the Union of the Comoros  William  Ruto, Deputy President of Kenya, Danny Faure, vice President of Seychelles  Mohamed Gharib Bilal, vice President of Tanzania,  Agostinho do Rosário, Prime Minister of the  Mozambique, the Right Honorable  Anastase Murekezi and Prime Minister of Rwanda among other delegates.