WINDHOEK, June 30 (TNF): Namibia will dispatch its first shipment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) today. This marks a major step in the country’s efforts to join Africa’s single market.
The official send-off will take place at the Port of Walvis Bay. International Relations and Trade Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi will lead the event, the ministry confirmed on Saturday.
This shipment begins Namibia’s formal trade under AfCFTA. The move connects Namibia to a market of over 1.3 billion people and a GDP of more than US$3.4 trillion.
AfCFTA was signed in March 2018 and took effect in April 2019. It became operational in 2021. The agreement aims to remove tariffs on 90% of goods, cut non-tariff barriers, and boost trade, industrialization, and regional value chains.
Namibia ratified AfCFTA in 2019. It published its tariff schedule in December 2024, clearing the way for trade.
The first shipment will leave Walvis Bay, a key logistics hub for southern and central Africa. Officials expect this move to create new opportunities for Namibian businesses in agro-processing, manufacturing, and logistics. The trade is also expected to support economic growth and job creation.
By joining the AfCFTA’s Guided Trade Initiative, Namibia joins other African countries showing the benefits of the deal in action.
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