NIAMEY, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Seven African Union (AU) member countries have submitted bids to host the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement as the continental pact edges closer to start operations, the AU revealed on Friday.
The statement was made by Chairperson of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Friday while he addressed the closing session of the 35th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in Niamey, capital of Niger, which is being held from July 4 to 5 on the margins of the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the AU Heads of State and Government, slated from July 4 to 8.
According to Faki, the assembly of head of states, during its meeting on July 7, will launch the operational phase of the continental free trade pact, which will necessitate a secretariat to oversee specific details of the continental free trade pact.
Chairperson of the 55-member pan African bloc also stressed that following the launch ceremony, "the assembly is also expected to decide on the location of the secretariat of the AfCFTA," which will have the principal function of implementing the agreement."
According to Faki, seven AU member countries that are Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar and Senegal have submitted bids to host the secretariat.
Meanwhile, Faki also hailed the upcoming launch of the AfCFTA as a "historic" and "remarkable" achievement for Africa's integration ambition.
"It goes without saying that the most emblematic of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063 is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)," Faki told African foreign ministers during the closing session of the 35th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council on Friday.
