Sierra Leone is making a decisive move toward deeper regional integration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by preparing to gazette its Provisional Schedules of Tariff Concessions (PSTCs). This development, marking a critical step in Sierra Leone’s AfCFTA engagement, was announced by Hon. Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Trade and Industry, in a meeting with AfCFTA Secretariat Secretary-General H.E. Wamkele Mene in Addis Ababa.
During the announcement, Minister Sesay emphasized the importance of the AfCFTA Secretariat’s support in expediting Sierra Leone’s preparation and implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, which aims to create a unified African market to boost intra-African trade. He expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the Secretariat, which has been instrumental in accelerating Sierra Leone’s readiness for the agreement.
The gazetting of the PSTCs is expected to open up new trade avenues and provide a structured framework for tariff reductions, bolstering Sierra Leone’s ability to leverage trade opportunities within the continental market. The move underscores Sierra Leone’s commitment to economic integration in Africa, aiming to stimulate trade, investment, and economic growth across the region.
This step positions Sierra Leone among African nations actively advancing their commitments under the AfCFTA, which launched in January 2021 and is poised to become one of the world’s largest free trade areas.
