Zimbabwe is on the verge of formally finalizing and gazetting its African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) tariff offer. This historic step is expected to open the doors for the country to benefit from the region’s vast market and secure multi-million-dollar trade deals. To join this massive market, which boasts a population of over 1.4 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 3.4 trillion US dollars, the country is working with strong commitment.
This continental free trade area, which entered into force in January 2021, is the world’s largest single market, connecting 53 African Union member states and eight regional economic communities.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting held in Harare last week, Mr. Tafadzwa Mashingaidze, the principal administrative officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, stated that Zimbabwe has transitioned into implementing its key obligations under the agreement and is currently at an advanced stage. He noted that Zimbabwe is now working towards gazetting its tariff offer, which represents a critical milestone that will determine the scope of goods eligible for preferential trade under the continental framework. Once this tariff offer is officially gazetted, it will enable Zimbabwean exporters to benefit from reduced trade barriers and tariff reliefs across African markets.
Specifically, exporters engaged in agriculture, mining value addition, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and professional services will be able to easily access new African markets. The agreement encourages countries to focus on sectors where they have a comparative advantage, and Zimbabwe has been identified as having strong potential in the agriculture and mining sectors. Accordingly, Zimbabwe’s tariff phase-down process will see the country gradually eliminate tariffs on 97 percent of its products over a period ranging from 5 to 10 years, while permanently excluding the remaining 3 percent of products from tariff liberalization.
Mr. Mashingaidze further explained that the AfCFTA agreement has now moved beyond the negotiation phase into full implementation. To date, 51 countries have signed the agreement, while 47 countries, including Zimbabwe, have ratified it, reflecting a broad continental commitment to creating economic integration. Currently, agreements have been reached on 93 percent of the products among member states, which means that more than 5,000 products can now be traded under a single, unified set of trade rules.
To facilitate this implementation, the AfCFTA Secretariat has developed key regulatory tools for member states to use, including the tariff e-book, the rule of origin manual, and the Pan-African trade settlement system.
On her part, Cecilia Mashava, the assistant director of tariffs at the Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC), urged that Zimbabwe must adopt a strategic approach as it finalizes its AfCFTA tariff offer. She emphasized that the country needs a clear tariff policy that enables it to solve its own internal problems, adding that since tariffs are strategic tools, they must be used carefully to transform the local industry. On the other hand, Ms. Chinyaradzo Phiri, the trade and regulatory affairs officer at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), stated that tariffs and protective duties alone cannot guarantee the long-term survival and growth of Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector.
She urged that broader measures must be taken to improve industrial competitiveness before trade barriers are removed. Although Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector currently enjoys protection against imports through duty safeguards on approximately 1,156 tariff lines, Ms. Phiri reminded the gathering that such protection can never be permanent. Participants at the meeting strongly discussed that policymakers must ensure local industries are equipped to compete effectively before opening up the market wider under continental agreements.
