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(NIGERIA)    
Association Urges African Countries to Establish Economic Free Zones
The Africa Free Zones Association (AFZA) has called on African governments to establish economic Free Zones that would foster the fulfilment of the continent's overall economic objectives. AFZA made this call in a communique issued at the end of its inaugural convention with the theme: ``Accelerating the Pace of Growing Economies through Free Zones Scheme''. The communique, signed by the Secretary- General of AFZA, Mr Chris Ndibe, said that if well-implemented, the Free Zones Scheme would be a tool of economic growth and national development.

It said that African governments must articulate a comprehensive industrial investment strategy that was consistent with the need to ensure appropriate economic and technical synergy between zones and the domestic economy. It stressed that all the stakeholders in economic free zones, particularly the customs service, should be carried along in the processes, right from zones' conceptualisation to operation stages.

It emphasised the need for African economic free zones to engage the services of quality personnel to enable them to meet international standards in free zones' operations. The communique said that for the economic free zones to function in line with their mandates, African governments should ensure that the zones were provided with the necessary infrastructure, such as electricity and transportation facilities. ``The concept of the Free Zone Scheme is not a panacea for a nation's economic problems.

``But if well articulated and implemented by ensuring good governance, policy consistency, transparency and respect for national and international standards, it will contribute immensely to the development of any nation,'' it said. It called on African governments to review their immigration laws so as to encourage trade within the continent. AFZA was formed in 2004 at the World Free Zone Convention in South Africa to promote knowledge and best practices in economic free zones' operation Africa.
Kingsley Amajiri



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