4th Tripartite Summit
Summit Theme: Deepening Intra-African Trade Anchored in Infrastructure and Industrial Development through the TFTA
The Tripartite Summit is held on a rotational basis among the three RECs. The 1st Summit was held in Kampala, Uganda (EAC) on 22nd October 2008; the 2nd Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa (SADC) on 12th June 2011, which endorsed the Tripartite Vision and Strategy and launched negotiations; and the 3rd Summit was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (COMESA) in June 2015, where the TFTA Agreement was launched. Kenya has been requested by the Tripartite leadership to host the 4th Summit at a time when clear implementation direction is required.
The 4th Tripartite Summit will provide high-level guidance on implementation timelines, institutional coordination, and priority deliverables, while strengthening alignment between the TFTA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Summit will seek to:
- Provide high-level policy direction on full operationalization of the TFTA Agreement;
- Review progress in ratification, tariff liberalization, and trade facilitation measures;
- Address key constraints, including non-tariff barriers, high logistics costs, overlapping REC memberships, and limited MSME participation;
- Promote priority regional infrastructure corridors and industrial value chains;
- trengthen coordination between the TFTA and AfCFTA frameworks; and
- Consider modalities for establishment and hosting of the TFTA Secretariat.
The Summit is expected to adopt:
- A Summit Declaration reaffirming commitment to TFTA implementation;
- Strategic directives on market access, trade remedies, and dispute settlement;
- A roadmap for harmonization of customs procedures and standards;
- Endorsement of priority infrastructure and industrial initiatives; and
- Decisions on the operational framework of the TFTA Secretariat.