President Mahama Appointed AU Trade Committee Chairperson

President John Dramani Mahama was on Thursday picked up as the Chairperson of the high level African committee on trade at the on-going African Union ordinary session in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
 
He takes over from Mr Idris Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, for the next one year.
   
This formed part of the highlights of the 23rd ordinary session of the AU Heads of State and government meeting in the Central African country.
   
The Committee was established in 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to promote intra African trade by pushing for the removal of trade barriers ahead of a 2017 deadline of creating a Continental Free Trade  Area.

The Committee is also expected to provide the AU Summit with policy orientation and recommendations on deepening Africa's market integration agenda. 

African Trade Ministers are expected to convene an extraordinary meeting to prepare for the launch of the Continental Free Trade Area next year.

During the two-day session, the African leaders would among other issues deliberate on agriculture and food, security, agricultural mechanisation, human rights abuse and industrialisation pertaining to the continent.
   
They would also draw synergies with other development partners to find lasting solutions to some of the development challenges of the continent.

GBC/GNA