Press Release N°12/ 20th AU Summit
AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry updates the media on progresses made

Addis Ababa, 23rd January 2013 – Mrs Fatima Haram Acyl, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry, held a press briefing on 22 January 2013 at the margins of the 20th AU Summit to update the media on progress made with regard to the Implementation of the Continental Free trade Area (CFTA) by 2017, the implementation the Africa Mining Vision as well as that of the industrial development of Africa (AIDA).
After a brief description of the reasons why the Heads of State and Government took the historical decision, in January 2012, to implement the Continental Free Trade Area by 2017, Mrs Fatima Haram Acyl, indicated that an action plan has been adopted for Boosting Intra-Africa Trade (BIAT). It has 7 clusters aimed at reporting on the constraints identified. She also informed that preliminary actions such as the establishment of the Trade Observatory and the African Business Council have been undertaken. On January 26, a meeting will be held on the margins of the summit, to review the progress made in respect to both BIAT and CFTA.
On mining, Mrs Acyl said the objective of the African Mining vision is mainly to resolve the “paradox of Africa being the richest continent in terms of mineral resources and yet being the least developed". Therefore and in compliance with its action plan to be implemented in 2013, the establishment of a center aimed at supporting African countries in improving their capacities to manage mineral resources, is underway.

Finally, Mrs Acyl updated the audience about the plan on accelerated industrial development of Africa (AIDA) which aims to improve Africa’s productive capacity. Ministers of Industry of the Member states have identified 2 keys areas for urgent implementation: Agro-Industrial and Pharmaceutical products. In this regard, she specified that a high level joint EU-AU Resource Mobilization committee was to be set in collaboration with UNIDO.