Former secretary general of the East African Community (EAC) Dr Richard Sezibera said the African Continental Free Trade Area should now think of free movement of people to make it more vibrant.
The agreement signed in March this year seeks to create a single market of 49 countries through facilitation of free movement of goods.
So far, 12 countries have ratified the agreement including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Dr Sezibera told the participants of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts meeting on Tuesday that the agreement should now consider including free movement of people, visa free entrance among member states and forming single air in the region.
"Movement of goods is only easy with the movement of people," he said.
"We should also know that we are not in competition but complementing each other," said Dr Sezibera who was recently appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in Rwanda.
Mr Sezibera recalled his time at the EAC secretariet when he experienced unnecessary fight that derail integration and intra-trade withini Africa.
"One time Kenya had famine and Tanzania which had surplas maize banned its exportation. At the same time, Kenya banned exportation of seeds to Tanzania which imports large share of the seeds from Kenya," said Dr Sezibera.
"I think these are also some of the issues we need to address as we implement the agreement," he added.
The agreement signed in March this year seeks to create a single market of 49 countries through facilitation of free movement of goods.
So far, 12 countries have ratified the agreement including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Dr Sezibera told the participants of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts meeting on Tuesday that the agreement should now consider including free movement of people, visa free entrance among member states and forming single air in the region.
"Movement of goods is only easy with the movement of people," he said.
"We should also know that we are not in competition but complementing each other," said Dr Sezibera who was recently appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in Rwanda.
Mr Sezibera recalled his time at the EAC secretariet when he experienced unnecessary fight that derail integration and intra-trade withini Africa.
"One time Kenya had famine and Tanzania which had surplas maize banned its exportation. At the same time, Kenya banned exportation of seeds to Tanzania which imports large share of the seeds from Kenya," said Dr Sezibera.
"I think these are also some of the issues we need to address as we implement the agreement," he added.
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