Ezulwini – Eswatini is preparing its legal and business sectors for possible trade disputes arising from increased participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This is the key focus of a three-day national workshop on the AfCFTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM), which opened at the Royal Villas in Ezulwini.
The workshop brings together officials from the judiciary, legal fraternity, Government ministries and agencies, parastatals, the private sector and academia to gain practical knowledge on how trade disputes under the continental agreement are handled.
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo, represented by Minister Savannah N. Maziya, said access to the African market would only benefit Eswatini if businesses operated within a trading environment where commercial rules were clear and respected.
He said as Eswatini pursued greater participation in continental trade, the country needed people with the legal and technical knowledge to protect its commercial interests when disputes arise.
The AfCFTA DSM, established under Article 20 of the AfCFTA Agreement, provides the framework through which disputes between participating countries over their rights and obligations under the agreement can be addressed.
Khumalo said a predictable dispute settlement system was important for businesses seeking to trade across African borders.
The workshop, facilitated by the AfCFTA Secretariat’s Dispute Settlement Division, is expected to give participants a practical understanding of the legal framework, institutions, procedures and processes governing trade disputes under the agreement.
The Minister called on participants to use the three-day engagement to examine how their respective institutions could work together when trade disputes arise and in protecting the interests of Eswatini businesses.
The training comes as the AfCFTA creates opportunities for businesses to access markets across the continent, while also exposing traders to a wider range of legal and commercial obligations.
Discussion about this post