By COLLINS OMULOMore by this AuthorKenyan business community will soon benefit from an expanded free trade market area after the operationalisation of a tripartite agreement set for next year. The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) agreement which includes 26 countries is aimed at enhancing connectivity, reduction of costs of doing business, as well as addressing productive capacity constraints through its three pillars: industrial and industrial development, and market integration pillars. TFTA was launched in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt in June 2015 with the main objective being the integration of the African Continent into one market economic bloc with a single economic space. So far six annexes on Non-Tariff barriers which define the scope and elements of cooperation have been finalised and legally agreed on in addition to the framework for cooperation and work programme on industrial development. The six annexes include: trade facilitation, customs cooperation and mutual administrative assistance, transit trade and facilitation, technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures.

Source: Daily Nation October 31, 2016 13:18 UTC