President Emmerson Mnangagwa has arrived in Kigali, Rwanda for the African Union (AU) extraordinary summit that is expected to see the launching of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The President was received by Rwanda’s Minister of Justice Mr Johnston Busingye and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Addis Ababa Mr Albert Chimbindi.

Mnangagwa joins other African Heads of State and Government for the launching of the Continental Free Trade Area on Wednesday.

The launch will be preceded by a business forum where the AU leadership will engage in dialogue with businesspeople from around the continent.

They will share information on joint ventures on various inventives and policies supporting intra-Africa trade.

The Continental Free Trade Area is an African market of over US$1.2 billion people with a gross domestic product of US$2.5 trillion.

The Continental Free Trade Area has the potential to boost intra-African trade by 53 percent by eliminating import duties and non-tariff barriers.

It is one of the flagship projects of the first 10-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 and aims to deepen the integration process.

It is being driven forward along with other key related initiatives such as the single African air transport market and the protocol on free movement of persons and the African passport.

The leaders of Africa’s 55 countries will are expected to attend the extraordinary summit that will make Africa the largest free trade area created since the formation of the World Trade Organisation.

Meanwhile, the President who left Harare this afternoon was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Retired Lieutenant General Sibusiso Moyo, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo, Industry, Commerce and Enterprise Development Minister Dr Mike Bimha and President of the Chiefs Council Chief Fortune Charumbira.- state media