What is the name of the free trade area launched by the African Union in 2021?

The free trade area launched by the African Union in 2021 is the African Continental Free Trade Area. Commonly abbreviated AfCFTA, it is the continent-wide framework intended to reduce trade barriers and expand commerce among African economies.

The African Union Assembly endorsed the decision to create it in 2012, and negotiations began in 2015. African leaders signed the agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, in March 2018. It entered into force in May 2019 after the required ratifications, but trading under the agreement began on 1 January 2021 after a delay linked largely to the COVID-19 pandemic.

AfCFTA aims to phase down tariffs on most goods, address non-tariff barriers, liberalise selected services and create common rules for intra-African trade. It is broader than regional blocs such as ECOWAS, SADC and COMESA, which cover particular subregions.

The launch did not instantly create a single market: tariff schedules, rules of origin and further negotiations still govern implementation. Its long-term ambition is to deepen integration and eventually help lay foundations for a continental customs union.