EDITORIAL: SUPPORT FREE TRADE AREA FROM CAPE TO CAIRO
The term ‘From Cape-to-Cairo’ was used to describe transport infrastructure projects dating back to the end of the 19th Century, conceptualised by the British political adventurer Cecil Rhodes. Intended to run through what Rhodes considered the ‘Cape-to-Cairo Red Line’ of British colonies, the projects were the ‘Cape-to-Cairo-Road’ – a.k.a. the ‘Great North Road:’ a pan-African highway from Cape Town in South Africa to Cairo in Egypt – and the ‘Cape-to-Cairo Railway…’
However, none of the projects were accomplished – thus making Rhodes’ plans for a British-dominated Africa a daydream.
But, opportunity’s knocking once again. This time round, it’s NOT Cecil Rhodes but Africans themselves who’re opening the proverbial door wide-open. This comes in the name and style of a ‘Cape-to-Cairo Tripartite Free Trade Area!’ By way of background, member-nations of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) agreed in October 2008 to negotiate a Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).
Indeed, heads of state and government of the three trading blocs met in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on June 10, 2015, to launch the ‘Comesa-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area.’ Although the TFTA Agreement’s been signed by 21 of the 26 member-countries – including Tanzania and South Africa – it requires ratification by at least 14 member-countries to become enforceable.
Most sadly, only Egypt and Uganda have ratified the Agreement.
If it’s any consolation, EAC secretary-general Liberat Mfumukeko pledged on November 17 that “all the EAC Partner States have committed to ratifying the Agreement by December, 2017.”
But, even if that happens, the magic 14 ratifications’d still be short by six to make the Agreement operational! No, Sir; if TFTA is to help ‘build capacity for Africa to trade better,’ then we must ensure that the proposed ‘Free Trade Area from Cape-to-Cairo’ becomes a reality, not another ‘Cecil Rhodesian Cape-to-Cairo’ dream.
