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| Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyema with President Buhari at a UN event |
Nigeria decided not join an Africa free trade zone last week
because it needs to carry out more consultations at home first, foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyema said on Tuesday.
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Other
leaders agreed to form a zone encompassing 1.2 billion people, but 11
countries including the continent’s biggest economy, Nigeria, and its
most-developed, South Africa, did not sign up.
leaders agreed to form a zone encompassing 1.2 billion people, but 11
countries including the continent’s biggest economy, Nigeria, and its
most-developed, South Africa, did not sign up.
The
omissions were a blow to African Union plans to cut back red tape and
other barriers that have strangled trade between African states – which
amounts for just 15 percent of total commerce on the continent.
omissions were a blow to African Union plans to cut back red tape and
other barriers that have strangled trade between African states – which
amounts for just 15 percent of total commerce on the continent.
“Minister
of Foreign Affairs: The decision for President @MBuhari to not attend
the #AfCFTA signing ceremony was taken because we realized more
inclusive (domestic) consultations needed to take place before Nigeria
signs,” read a message on the presidency’s Twitter feed.
of Foreign Affairs: The decision for President @MBuhari to not attend
the #AfCFTA signing ceremony was taken because we realized more
inclusive (domestic) consultations needed to take place before Nigeria
signs,” read a message on the presidency’s Twitter feed.
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It did not go into any details on the nature of the consultations.
South
Africa did immediately comment on its reasons last week.
Africa did immediately comment on its reasons last week.
Others staying
on the sidelines were: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Burundi,
Eritrea, Benin, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. (Reuters)
on the sidelines were: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Burundi,
Eritrea, Benin, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. (Reuters)
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