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COMESA is one of the pillars of the African Economic Community. In 2008, COMESA agreed to an expanded free-trade zone including members of two other African trade blocs, the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). COMESA is also considering a common visa scheme to boost tourism. [5]
COMESA was established in 1994 as a replacement for the Preferential Trade Area. It includes 20 nations, with a combined GDP of US$286.7bn in 2006. Among its members are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda and Sudan. The EAC, the smallest of the member trade blocks in terms of GDP, had a GDP of US$46.6bn in 2006.
A free trade area is the region encompassing a trade bloc whose member countries have signed a free trade agreement (FTA). Such agreements involve cooperation between at least two countries to reduce trade barriers, import quotas and tariffs, and to increase trade of goods and services with each other.
The African Economic Community (AEC) is an organization of African Union states establishing grounds for mutual economic development among the majority of African states. The stated goals of the organization include the creation of free trade areas, customs unions, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency (see African Monetary Union) thus establishing an economic and monetary union.
The 29 tripartite member/partner countries represent 53% of the African Union's membership, more than 60% of continental GDP ($1.88 trillion), and a combined population of 800 million. [ 2 ] Negotiations between the three trade blocs first began in June 2011. [ 1 ]
The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa group together individual countries in subregions for the purposes of achieving greater economic integration. They are described as the "building blocks" of the African Union and are also central to the strategy for implementing the African Development Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).
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also member of ECCAS/CEEAC and CEMAC Comoros: 2007– [22] 1,861 850,688: 2018 est. 2,446 [23] 2,799 [23] also member of SADC and COMESA Djibouti: 2000– 23,200 also member of IGAD and COMESA Egypt: 2001– 1,010,408 also member of COMESA, candidate to AMU/UMA Eritrea: 1999– 117,600 also member of IGAD and COMESA Gambia: 2000– 10,689