Africa Set to Agree $3 Trillion Trade Bloc, Without Key Economy
- Nigerian president canceled his trip to Kigali to sign deal
- South Africa trade minister says not aware of major objections
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari canceled his trip saying his government needs more time for input from local businesses.
Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Three years of talks are expected to culminate in the creation of an almost $3 trillion African trade bloc on Wednesday, with the exception of one of the continent’s biggest economies.
While the continent’s heads of state are gathering in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, for an extraordinary summit of the African Union to sign an agreement creating the free-trade zone of more than 50 countries, at least two presidents won’t agree to the deal.