Single Market for 26 African countries

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Leaders of the Tripartite Summit from 26 African countries belonging to the three regional economic blocs in the East and southern Africa on Wednesday resolved to merge the blocs into a single regional market.

The summit, bringing together leaders of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), have agreed to establish a free trade bloc and a single customs union, stretching from South Africa to Egypt and from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Kenya.

South African President Kgalema Motlanthe who joined the leaders as SADC Chairperson said the launch of the free trade bloc will place the African continent in a stronger position to respond effectively to intensifying global economic competition.

The merger, he said, would lead to the creation of the largest free trade area in Africa, with a population of over 248 million people and a combined GDP of $650 billion.

The three blocs will have a single airspace within a year and an inter-regional broadband network for Internet. He said it would also help the continent to overcome the challenges posed by multiple memberships of regional organisations.

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