Trade Facilitation in the TFTA: A Closer Look at the EAC

The negotiations currently taking place between COMESA, EAC and SADC for establishing a Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) put great emphasis on trade facilitation, which is arguably the fundamental basis for the Tripartite. In fact, trade facilitation is a formidable challenge in the region for which resolutions continue to be sought throughout the region as well as at the multilateral level in the course of WTO negotiations. This short note looks into trade facilitation negotiations at the WTO and provides a quick overview of some of the related challenges and opportunities in the TFTA with a special focus on the EAC.