Proceedings for African free trade agreement kick off Sunday in Sharm

Proceedings for signing a free trade agreement between Africa's three largest economic blocs will start on Sunday in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh city.

On Sunday, meetings at the level of senior officials and experts will be held to be followed by meetings on June 8 and 9 between the trade ministers of the three African blocs.

The third COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government will kick off on June 10.

The three blocs stand for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community.

The agreement will be a strong starting point for Egyptian companies to access African markets, Industry and Trade Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour said in a press statement.

A number of international organizations will be present at the event, including the World Trade Organization, African Union, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), World Customs Organization and African Development Bank, Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service Ali el Leithy said.