African business leaders and officials have gathered in Cape Town for a three-day regional meeting of the World Economic Forum. The main focus of the Sept. 4-6 meeting is an Africa-wide free-trade zone set to take effect in 2020.
The African Continental Free Trade Area would be a single market of over 1.2 billion people. Forum participants say it would energize trade, investment and economic growth across the region.
One panelist warned that the gap between global winners and losers is likely to widen.
African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga said the elimination of tariffs will lead to the free exchange of goods and services across the continent.
NHK
