Trade in Services
One of the specific objectives of the AfCFTA Agreement is the progressive liberalisation of services. The AfCFTA Protocol in Trade in Services envisions a liberalised African Services market which shall be achieved by gradually eliminating restrictions that are incompatible with the AfCFTA Agreement, the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, the Negotiating Guidelines for Services Negotiations under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, and the AfCFTA Modalities for Services Negotiations.
The progressive liberalisation will be accomplished in two ways: first, by State Parties offering their commitments in service sectors through Schedules of Specific Commitments, and second, by developing cross-cutting sectoral regulatory frameworks.
The State Party’s schedule of commitments specifies the scope and depth of market opening that will be provided (market access), as well as the requirements regarding the treatment of service providers from other State Parties and nationals (national treatment) under which State Parties will submit their commitments ‘positively’ by listing those sectors and subsectors in which they wish to liberalise.
The regulatory frameworks refer to the incorporation of sector and sub-sector specific obligations through the development of regulatory frameworks for each of the sectors, as necessary, considering best practices from the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other regions of the world.
The 5 Priority Sectors under Trade in Services are:
A. All Professional Services
B. Computer and Related Services
C. Research and Development Services
D. Real Estate Services
E. Rental/Leasing Services without Operators
F. Other Business Services
A. Postal services
B. Courier services
C. Telecommunication services
D. Audiovisual services
E. Others
A. All insurance and insurance-related services
B. Banking and other financial services
C. Other Financial Services
A. Hotels and restaurants (incl. catering)
B. Travel agencies and tour operators services
C. Tourist guides services
D. Other
A. Maritime Transport Services
B. Internal Waterways Transport
C. Air Transport Services
D. Space Transport
E. Rail Transport Services
F. Road Transport Services
G. Pipeline Transport
H. Services auxiliary to all modes of transport
I. Other Transport Services
Communication Services
Financial Services
Tourism Services
Transportation Services
Business Services
- Malawi
- Algeria
- Angola
- Botswana
- Zimbabwe
- Comoros
- The Democratic Republic of Congo
- Egypt
- Eswatini
- Sudan
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Seychelles
- South Africa
- Cameroon
- The Republic of Congo
- Gabon
- Equatorial Guinea
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cape Verde
- Côte d’Ivoire
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Mali
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Mauritania
