Anticipating the impact of the AfCFTA on South African industrialists
Date: 25th February | Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Online
Free to members of the TWIMS community
Anticipating the impact of the AfCFTA on South African industrialists
The 33rd Assembly of the African Union which took place from 9-10 February 2020 officially launched the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The main aim of the AfCFTA is to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business, persons, and investments. The Agreement envisages that 90% of products would be traded duty-free within ten years. As of 5 February 2021, 36 AU member states have ratified the Agreement.
As the Agreement shifts into its operational phase, it is important for South African industrialists to consider what potential opportunities this Agreement provides to their respective value chains in the next 2-3 years.
TWIMS is hosting a virtual panel discussion for manufacturers to understand how the AfCFTA is likely to evolve over the next few years and anticipate the impact on South African industrialists. This webinar will be hosted by Mbongeni Ndlovu, TWIMS African Industrialisation Research Head, and Glen Robbins, TWIMS Head of Research.
Guest Speakers
Dave Coffey
Dave Coffey is the CEO of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) which is an association focused on the expansion and deepening of the automotive industry across Africa by working with governments to shape and implement policies and ecosystems that will attract investors and unlock the economic potential of the continent.
Before taking up his position at AAAM he was the Managing Director of Shatterprufe, a manufacturer and distributor of automotive glass based in South Africa. He previously held senior positions within various automotive supplier companies including Dorbyl Automotive Technologies and Bel-Essex Engineering.
Trudi Hartzenberg
Trudi Hartzenberg is the Executive Director of the Trade Law Centre (tralac).
Her research is in the areas of international trade, competition policy, industrial development and Africa’s integration agenda.
She has a special interest in, and commitment to capacity building. She has designed and delivered academic and tailored short courses on a broad range of trade-related topics for policy makers in Africa.
She currently serves on the WTO Chairs Advisory Committee and is a member of the Committee for Development Policy of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Xavier Carim
Xavier Carim currently serves as the Deputy Director General in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC) of South Africa. Ambassador Carim was previously appointed as South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, Geneva in October 2014 and served until 2019.
Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Carim held the position of Deputy Director General at the International Trade and Economic Development Division in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of South Africa from March 2007.
As Deputy Director General, Ambassador Carim is responsible for managing South Africa’s trade policy and international economic relations and his portfolio included leading South Africa’s trade negotiations at multilateral, regional and bilateral levels.