African countries in trade tie-up

The signing of an agreement to launch the African Continental Free Trade Area on Wednesday will not only boost intra-African trade but also increase mutual exchanges with international partners like China as well as improve competitiveness of the continent's products.

Signed at an extraordinary summit of the African Union held in Kigali, Rwanda's capital, the AfCFTA will bring together 54 African countries with a combined population of more than 1 billion people and a combined gross domestic product of more than $3.4 trillion.

The AfCFTA will also bring African economies together into a single large market by reducing tariffs, removing trade barriers, promoting intra-regional trade and investment development, and achieving free movement of goods, services, capital and labor.