NAIROBI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Thursday launched a bid to host the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat.
Macharia Kamau, principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told journalists in Nairobi that Kenya's Africa-centric foreign policy is focused on delivering the promise of continental growth development and security through the Agenda 2063.
"Having the secretariat come to Kenya would not only cement Kenya's role as a lead country in trade and multilateralism, but it would also avail Africa the best venue and the best opportunity to grow free trade and secretariat to its full potential not only for Kenya but for the benefit of all Africans," Kamau said.
Other countries that have expressed interest in hosting the secretariat include Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Eswatini and Ethiopia.
The AfCFTA aims to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of persons and investments, and thus paves the way for accelerating the establishment of the continental customs union, common market and monetary union.
Kamau said that Kenya has always been at the forefront in championing the African economic integration as well as the free movement of goods, people and services across the continent for the last 40 years.
