Angola is in the final stages of joining the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area (FTA), a move that will boost regional trade and economic integration. The SADC Secretariat, with support from Germany’s BMZ and the European Union through GIZ, recently held a Trade Negotiation Forum (TNF) in Luanda to finalize the process.
Once completed, Angola will become the 14th member of the SADC FTA, strengthening the bloc’s trade liberalization efforts. SADC Director of Industrial Development and Trade Dhunraj Kassee highlighted the economic benefits, such as reduced tariffs and the removal of non-tariff barriers, which will facilitate smoother trade within the region.
Kassee expressed confidence that Angola’s accession will be approved at the TNF and SADC Trade Ministerial Committee meetings in May and June 2025, paving the way for full ratification and implementation.
Established in 2008, the SADC FTA aims to enhance intra-regional trade by removing trade barriers between member states. It also serves as an important step towards greater economic integration within the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to create a unified market for goods and services across the continent.