The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) is a partially implemented African free trade agreement between the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC).[1] 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. On June 10, 2015, a deal was signed in Egypt, pending ratification by the participating countries.[3]
The TFTA entered into force on July 25, 2024, after the requirement of 14 countries ratifying the agreement had been met.[4] The 14 countries that now trade under the TFTA are Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, accounting for 75% of tripartite GDP in 2022. Djibouti has also ratified the agreement.
The TFTA is intended to become part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which was kickstarted in 2015 at the 25th African Union Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa and is to include all 54 African Union states as members of the free trade area.[5]
| Country | Current Trade Zone(s) | |
|---|---|---|
 Angola | SADC | |
 Botswana | SADC | |
 Burundi | COMESA & EAC | |
 Comoros | COMESA | |
 Djibouti | COMESA | |
| COMESA & SADC | ||
 Egypt | COMESA | |
 Eritrea | COMESA | |
| COMESA & SADC | ||
 Ethiopia | COMESA | |
 Kenya | COMESA & EAC | |
 Lesotho | SADC | |
 Libya | COMESA | |
 Madagascar | COMESA & SADC | |
 Malawi | COMESA & SADC | |
 Mauritius | COMESA & SADC | |
 Mozambique | SADC | |
 Namibia | SADC | |
 Rwanda | COMESA & EAC | |
 Seychelles | COMESA & SADC | |
| COMESA & EAC | ||
 South Africa | SADC | |
| EAC | ||
 Sudan | COMESA | |
| SADC & EAC | ||
| COMESA | ||
 Uganda | COMESA & EAC | |
 Zambia | COMESA & SADC | |
 Zimbabwe | COMESA & SADC |