Zambia and the AfCFTA

Zambia’s commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is central to its aim to improve its citizens’ standard of living by boosting its economic performance. It is also anchored in its historical support of the African Union (AU) and of regional economic communities such as the Southern African Development Community, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Zambia ratified the AfCFTA agreement in February 2021 and was one of the first countries to develop a national strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA, with a view to using the free-trade agreement that underpins it to explore new markets while increasing exports to its traditional trade partners on the continent.

The south-central African country’s economic development hinges on industrialisation and export-led growth and it envisages annual increases in export earnings of between 15%, for traditional export goods such as metals and minerals, and 25% for non-traditional exports during the AfCFTA implementation.

How Zambia is preparing the ground for the AfCFTA

Zambia’s government is keen to take advantage of the AfCFTA to grow its economy and thereby raise its citizens’ standard of living by elevating the country’s status from a lower-income country to a prosperous middle-income country, and from a least developed country to a developing country, by 2030.

The country is committed to the AU’s Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade

Zambia was one of the first African countries to develop a national strategy for the implementation of the AfCFTA

In Zambia the GIZ is supporting efforts to establish institutional and legal frameworks that underpin negotiations on and implementation of the AfCFTA.

The GIZ’s assistance in Zambia focuses on:

Supporting national implementation of the Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade

Supporting the private sector and civil society organisations to develop capacity for advocacy

Helping build the competitiveness and growth-readiness of the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, for enhanced participation in the AfCFTA

Sensitisation and training on customs tariff classification, rules of origin, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and other relevant trade policy topics

Creating awareness and supporting women and young entrepreneurs on the AfCFTA

Supporting the Zambian negotiating team through capacity building for Phase II and Phase III negotiations

What we have achieved so far

Zambia has developed a national AfCFTA implementation strategy, and relevant structures have been established to implement the AU’s Action Plan for Boosting Intra-African Trade.

The GIZ has supported symposia and training workshops, including through the World Trade Organization (WTO), that are aimed at boosting Zambia’s using the AfCFTA to its economic advantage. We have also supported the completion and validation of a provisional AfCFTA tariff phase-down schedule, and the participation of selected small and medium-sized enterprises at the 2023 Intra-African Trade Fair in Cairo, Egypt.

“This [the AfCFTA] will lead to more jobs, greater wealth and improved welfare for all our people.”

– Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, on Africa Day, 25 May, 2023

Facts and figures

The AfCFTA will help Zambia boost its intra-African trade, which it is intent on growing.

Exports to other African countries (2021):
approximately USD 2.2 billion

Imports from African countries (2021):
USD 3.2 billion

Exports to the rest of the world (2021):
approximately USD 9 billion

Imports from the rest of the world (2021):
 USD 3.9 billion

Exports to other African countries (2022):
approximately USD 3 billion*

Imports from African countries (2022):
 approximately USD 5.5 billion*

*Provisional statistics

Our partners in Zambia

Political partner: Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry

Main implementing partners:

National AfCFTA Implementation Committee

Zambia Revenue Authority – Customs Services Division

Private sector stakeholders:

Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Zambia Association of Manufacturers

Cross-Border Traders Association of Zambia

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