Durban sends off SA's first African free trade shipment

2024-03-28 10:43:38

As the provincial export development and facilitation agency, Trade & Investment KwaZulu-natal (TKZN) was proud to witness the first shipment of South African products under the African Continental Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA) initiative.

The launch of Proudly South African products destined for Ghana, took place at the Port of Durban on 31 January 2024. It was officiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa who described the occasion as; " a historic moment in AfricaÂ’s economic destiny."

Sihle Ngcamu, TIKZN ACEO attended the event and said the AfCFTA was not only removing barriers to intra-African trade but also integrating the continent to promote the beneficiation of our raw materials for manufacturing on the continent, rather than exporting raw materials only to import back the finished products. He added that it was apt that the shipment, destined for Ghana, which marked the start of preferential trade by South Africa, left from the Durban Port, one of the busiest ports on the continent.

The launch took place on the sidelines of the 13th AfCFTA Council of Ministers responsible for trade.