The African Union (AU) has adopted the Boosting Intra-African Trade (BIAT) Action Plan to enhance its global trade position and promote sustainable socio-economic development. BIAT is divided into 7 clusters, focusing on integrating intra-African trade into national strategies, involving the private sector in policymaking, enhancing food products and services, simplifying trade regulations, reducing transit times, optimizing border posts, and integrating border management. Despite significant progress in implementing the AfCFTA, BIAT remains limited, with little information available on its domestication and implementation at regional and national levels.
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is organizing an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) in collaboration with the African Union on 19 June 2024 at Krystal Palace Hotel in Douala, Cameroon with the aim to review the draft report and gather insights from experts to facilitate its finalization and publication. The meeting will be attended by participants from the RECs, the African Union Commission, the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, the Trade and Development Bank, the African Trade and Investment Development Insurance and representatives of the private sector.
