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TWO MONTHS TO PREPARE TO HOST AFCFTA

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MBABANE – The local national steering committee has only two months to prepare for the evaluation to host the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).


The national steering committee, to be led by the Chief Executive Officer of Business Eswatini, Nathi Dlamini, was introduced to the public by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo yesterday.


The committee assigned to win the opportunity that would see the country’s infrastructure coming to good use, is led by Dlamini with seven members.
The members are Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Siboniso Nkambule, Deputy Attorney General Zandile Dlamini, CEO of the Federation of Eswatini Business Community Dudu Nhlengetfwa and CEO of Eswatini Tourism Authority Linda Nxumalo.


Also Head of Human Resources at MTN Eswatini Mncedzi Ngomane, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Jennifer Neves, and Director for International Trade in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Sizwe Ntshangase is the secretary.
If the team succeeds in their mission, local entrepreneurs and the tourism sector shall benefit due to the constant meetings that shall be held in the country by different countries.


Infrastructure


The minister said: “Their task is to help us use the infrastructure we have like the King Mswati III International Airport, road network, hotels and the convention centre.”


To achieve this milestone, the steering committee shall be supported by the national technical committee comprising of officers from 13 ministries.
In the quest to bring opportunities to local entrepreneurs, the team shall draft a strategy campaign document for hosting the AfCFTA Secretariat and present it to Cabinet before the last week of this month.

This, the committee shall do through using the criteria for hosting the AU Organs document that was adopted by the African Union in Libya, 2005. Another duty entails submitting an economic justification paper on the benefits that will accrue to Eswatini for hosting the AfCFTA Secretariat by the third week of this month.


“Prepare a work plan and a budget, which will include an indicative external travel budget request in selected strategic members of the AU to advance Eswatini’s bid to host in the third week of February, 2019.”


Produce


Further, the committee has to produce a promotional video on the country’s bid and clear strategy on how to market it. Another task of the committee was said to be to propose a national plan on how to sensitise the public on strategic economic importance for Eswatini to host the AfCFTA Secretariat.


The team further has to submit a draft programme before the end of March, 2019 for the evaluation team deployed by the bureau and chairperson of the AU, which shall visit the country by the end of April. As the team prepares to assist the country compete with Egypt and Ghana, it shall have to report to Minister Khumalo on a weekly basis.

 

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