African Single Market set for launch

[Diable Rouge]

Perhaps not the most precipitous economic climate to be launching a major trade initiative, but today the required 22nd African Union member ratified the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, which will thus come into effect during the next AU Summit in July. It has been described as a single market in goods and services, and the plan is for the agreement to be enhanced as a customs union, but to date the economic powerhouse of the continent, Nigeria, has yet to come on board.

[MsD]

Yep, the people I work for are doing stuff for this. I might be able to add something useful to the thread once I'm caught up with work.

[Levin]

"but to date the economic powerhouse of the continent, Nigeria, has yet to come on board."

But most of ECOWAS/CEDERO have ratified, I find that interesting.

So which countries is France going to have to start coups in to get a handle on this?

Less flippantly, this podcast was very good, not just about Togo and dictatorship but about how little inter-african trade and communication there is. Which seems to be a common post-colonial theme as there was another podcast from a different place (I can't find in now) about the issues of trade in the caucuses.

[Lang Spoon]

Yep, Macron's reaction to this will be very interesting indeed.

[Hot Pepsi]

Do they have a sweet flag?

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Dunno, but the proposed east african federation - in the process of drawing up a constitution at the moment - have a nice one

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_African_Federation

It does have an unfortunate resemblance to the Belgian Euro 2016 change kit in which they were famously humiliated by Hal Robson Kanu, but never mind. Also the flags it'll replace include some of my favourites.

[Diable Rouge]

Do they have a sweet flag?

http://twitter.com/BrianPriston/status/1085611761812889600/photo/1

[Hot Pepsi]

Not bad. How many stars?

[Diable Rouge]

One for every country, so 53.

[Hot Pepsi]

Somehow I thought there were only about 40.