Bloc puts off ratification of tripartite trade deal
Among the products earlier listed for protection until 2017 were sugar, maize, cement, wheat, rice, textiles, milk and cream, beverages and secondhand clothes. PHOTOS | FILE
The East African Community has postponed ratification of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) from March to December this year, after failing to agree on the contentious rules of origin and tariffs.
The Comesa-EAC-SADC Council of Ministers had given the five-member bloc up to March 31 to ratify the treaty and pave the way for Phase 1 of negotiations to be conducted by June 17 on how an expanded free market of over 600 million people would be implemented.
