Addis Ababa University (AAU) School of Law in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) organized a one-day awareness creation workshop on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and Phase II Protocols at AAU main campus on the 5^th of December 2023.

The AfCFTA agreement, which is part of the African Union agenda 2063, has been signed by 54 of the 55 African Union (AU) member states, 47 of whom have already ratified it; Ethiopia is one of the 47 AU member states that ratified the document.

The awareness creation workshop was given to School of Law students of Addis Ababa University.

As stated in the workshop, raising awareness among the different segments of the society on the Free Trade Area Agreement, which Ethiopia has ratified, is important. It is with this understanding that the School of Law collaborated with GIZ-AU office has been implementing different activities on the AfCFTA.

In the workshop, students were introduced to the AfCFTA framework agreement, its structure and major principles. The phase II protocols on Intellectual Property Right, Competition Policy and Investment, were also covered.

The presentation made on these specific protocols highlighted their similarities and differences with the Ethiopian domestic laws and international commitments.

Students who attended the workshop appreciated the contribution and the efforts of the continental trading regime dedicated to back the economic growth of Ethiopia and the continent as a whole, while recognizing the road ahead may not be easy.

Reporter: Gelila Mekbib

Photo: Andualem Aseffa

Editor: Abraham Girmay