Delegations of African leaders and heads of COMESA, SADC, and East African Community arrived in Sharm El Sheikh International Airport to attend a summit Wednesday to discuss the African Free Trade Zone, State media reported. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi along with PM, Ibrahim Mahlab is expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon in Sharm El Sheikh to receive counterparts from African presidents and leaders. Africa's three major regional economic committees (RECs) are set to finalize an agreement on forming the continent's largest free trade area (FTA) during a tripartite summit taking place 7th-10th of June. The FTA will gather 26 countries and members of the three RECs, COMESA-EAC-SADC, giving Egypt free trade access to seven new African nations. The tripartite grouping includes African nations such as South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Egypt and Zimbabwe. "The agreement will bolster Egypt's status internationally and strategically," Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade, Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour told Al Ahram Daily News.
