The Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is ambitious. Bringing together 55 African Union member states, it will form the world’s largest free trade area by the number of participating countries. It will also establish a single continental market where goods, services and people can move, effectively expanding intra-African trade across the continent, enhancing competitiveness and supporting economic transformation of Africa. The Agreement covers trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. The Phase II negotiations of the agreement hold many opportunities, particularly for Intellectual Property (IP). IP rights are territorial in nature, which means that national laws regulate the conditions for their acquisition, maintenance and enforcement. IP laws may be used as a tool to stimulate innovation and facilitate development through disclosure and transfer of knowledge and know-how. Read More.
