African Trade Agreements

The African Continental Free Trade Area is the largest free trade area in the world by number of participating countries, creating a single market for goods and services across 54 African nations. It aims to boost intra-African trade, promote industrialization, and create jobs.

ECOWAS is a regional political and economic union of fifteen West African countries. It promotes economic integration and collective self-sufficiency through the creation of a single large trading bloc.

COMESA is the largest regional economic community in Africa with 21 member states. It focuses on creating a large economic and trading unit to overcome trade barriers and build regional prosperity.

SADC is an inter-governmental organization promoting socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 16 Southern African states.

The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising seven countries in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa regions. It aims for political federation of member states.

AGOA is a United States Trade Act that provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for over 1,800 products. It promotes trade and investment between the US and Africa.

The partnership between the European Union and African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries provides preferential trade access and development cooperation. The new Samoa Agreement succeeded the Cotonou Agreement in 2024.

ECCAS is an economic community of Central African states promoting regional economic cooperation and integration. It aims to achieve collective autonomy and raise living standards.

The Arab Maghreb Union is a trade agreement aiming for economic and cultural unity among North African countries. While political tensions have limited integration, it remains an important framework.

GSP is a preferential tariff system extended by developed countries to developing countries. Multiple countries offer GSP programs including the EU, USA, Japan, Canada, and others.