Event Details

After years of work, the African Continental Free Trade Area is finally 'coming online' - and South Africa joined six other African countries now applying agreed preferential trade tariffs.


But what is the AfCFTA really intended to achieve?How will its implementation take shape, and what does it mean for South African manufacturers in the mining supply chain?


Join MEMSA and the GGDA, on Friday the 1st of March at 9am as we host two industry specialists to find out.

  • Mr Sandile Tyini, Chief Director for African Multilateral Economic Relations at the dtic will speak on The AfCFTA: Background, objectives, timeline and current status, and
  • Mr Duncan Bonnet, Director Market Access and Research at Africa House on How the capital equipment industry can leverage the AfCFTA to expand trade and investment


This workshop follows the launch of South Africa's official participation on the 31st of January, in preferential trade under the AfCFTA and exciting engagements at Mining Indaba 2024 - and comes as we prepare for the Bi-National Commission with Ghana (also implementing AfCFTA tariffs) taking place between the 8th-12th of March, with a Business Forum on the 12th March in Pretoria.


Note that a follow-up workshop will focus on the 'nuts and bolts of trade' under the AfCFTA, including how to identify applicable tariffs and apply Rules of Origin.

Speakers

  • Sandile Tyini (Chief Director of The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition)

    Sandile Tyini

    Chief Director of The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition

    https://gcpit.org/old/speaker/sandile-tyini/

    Mr. Tyini studied at the University of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape in South Africa.

    Mr. Sandile Tyini was appointed in November 2020 as Chief Director: African Multilateral Economic Relation, in Branch: Trade Policy, Negotiations and Cooperation (TPNC) at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), South Africa. He is in charge of promoting economic integration and development in Africa on regional and continental bases through the Southern Customs Union (SACU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area, and the African Union (AU) programmes, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

    Before that Sandile was the Director for Americas Bilateral Trade Relations at the dtic since April 2017. He also served as Minister Economic, at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington, DC, USA from 2011 to 2016. Previously, he headed the Europe Regional Organisation (EU & EFTA relations), and the Europe Bilateral Trade Relations desks at the dtic from 2003 until 2011. Before joining the dtic in 2003, Mr. Tyini worked at the Western Cape trade and investment promotion agency (WESGRO).

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  • Duncan Bonnet (Director Market Access and Research of Africa House South Africa)

    Duncan Bonnet

    Director Market Access and Research of Africa House South Africa

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncan-bonnett/

    Mr. Bonnet hold a Honours in International Relation,Integration of South Africa: Political Economy from University of the Witwatersrand.

    He is the Director of Africa House South Africa, which helps their clients navigate the complexities of trade, projects and investments across the African continent.

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Post Event Report

Attendees gained a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the AfCFTA process from the dtic's Sandile Tyini (Chief Director, Multilateral Negotiations & Cooperation), plus rich data and insights as to opportunities and challenges for South African capital equipment exporters in the context of market trends in Sub-Saharan Africa, and with special reference to the agreement.


Companies with specific questions and requiring support with regard to the AfCFTA and its implementation are encouraged to contact their industry associations and regional development agencies, but may also directly contact Mr Tyini - view the presentation here 


To find out more about the market intelligence and trade & investment facilitation services offered by Africa House, please contact Mr Duncan Bonnet - view the presentation here.


Making the Most of IP Basics of IP and IP Protection Webinar

Louw Steyn, partner at Spoor & Fisher, an expert in the protection and exploitation of industrial IP provided a comprehensive and valuable overview of different types of IP and how each can be legally protected, including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright. He outlined the timelines for the different processes, and how each may be relevant to industrial IP. This workshop was organised by MEMSA, for the benefit of its members and partner organisations


Listen to the studio recording​ of the excellent overview of IP types, protection and opportunities by Louw Steyn of Spoor & Fisher. It ends in a fascinating story of a South African paintball design which is making millions internationally - through timeous application of IP protection measures.


Look out for a follow up webinar on the nuts and bolts of understanding and applying AfCFTA preferential tariffs.