Egypt, in its capacity as Chair of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Ministerial Council of Trade Ministers, has secured consensus among member states on the long-pending rules of origin for the textile, apparel, and automotive sectors. The breakthrough, achieved through a transitional implementation mechanism, marks the culmination of more than four years of negotiations. The announcement was made following the 17th meeting of the AfCFTA Council of African Ministers of Trade, held in Cairo in September under the chairmanship of Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, and reaffirmed during a follow-up virtual session in October. The meetings resulted in the adoption of long-awaited rules of origin for previously unresolved products—particularly in the ready-made garments and automotive industries—along with a roadmap to finalize the remaining provisions after a defined transitional period. In addition, ministers adopted eight annexes to the Intellectual Property Protocol, which will be submitted for endorsement at the upcoming African Union Summit. El-Khatib highlighted that the Council also approved a series of regulatory frameworks to support the AfCFTA's implementation. These include frameworks governing key service sectors such as finance and telecommunications under the Protocol on Trade in Services, as well as draft terms of reference for working groups on data protection and transfer, digital payments and identities, and emerging technologies under the Digital Trade Protocol. Further decisions included the adoption of internal regulations for the Committee of Heads of Competition Authorities, the statute for establishing the Continental Competition Court, the creation of a Continental Competition Network, and the work plan of the Committee of National Focal Points responsible for coordinating national implementation of the AfCFTA. El-Khatib concluded that the African Continental Free Trade Area remains a cornerstone of Africa's economic integration agenda, designed to enhance intra-African trade and stimulate joint investment across the continent.
