We need to ask more on trade - Malanji

By NATION REPORTER ZAMBIA still needs to consult further on some protocols of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) agreement meant to create One African Market (OAM), says Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji.

Mr. Malanji said this at the African Union (AU) heads of State and Government extra ordinary summit in Kigali, Rwanda, where he represented President Lungu.

This is contained in a statement issued by first secretary for press and tourism at the Zambian embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza.

The minister said Zambia had only signed the African Free Trade Area Declaration (AFTAD) and not the ACFTA agreement because negotiations were still underway on some of the agreement’s protocols.

He said Zambia already negotiated for the protocols on Goods, Services and the Dispute Settlement Mechanism, but that the remaining protocols on Trade Competition, Investment and Intellectual Property were yet to be negotiated.

He said Zambia’s signing of the AFTAD was a sign that the country stood with all other African nations in her quest to improve intra Africa trade.

And Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Christopher Yaluma said Zambia would not sign the protocol on the Free Movement of People as the country was not ready for it.

Mr Yaluma said Zambia needed to make internal consultations with the business community and other stakeholders before signing the agreement.

He said Government would only engage in treaties that had a positive bearing on the Zambian people, especially the youth and the women.

And officially opening the summit, AU Chairperson Paul Kagame, who is also President of Rwanda, said time had come for Africa to boost its own trade, adding that the ACFTA agreement was a sure way of economic prosperity.