Namibia has officially launched its inaugural export consignment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

WINDHOEK, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Monday officially launched its inaugural export consignment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

This event, held in the port city of Walvis Bay, marked a major step for the country's economic integration into the continent, with Namibian salt being the first commodity to be exported under the new agreement.

"Today marks the beginning of a journey that seeks to position Namibia to take full advantage of Africa's single market. Traditionally, Namibia has relied on the Southern African Customs Union and the Southern African Development Community as its primary trade blocs," Minister of International Relations and Trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi said in her address.

She noted that under the framework of the AfCFTA, Namibia now has the opportunity to expand its reach well beyond these regional borders, accessing new markets across West, North and Central Africa.

The AfCFTA, a flagship project of the African Union's Agenda 2063, aims to create a single continental market of over 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of about 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars, she said, adding that this offers Namibian businesses a "tremendous opportunity to expand their market reach, enhance competitiveness, and contribute to economic growth and diversification."

Namibia signed the AfCFTA agreement on July 2, 2018, before depositing its instrument of ratification on Feb. 1, 2019. A significant step toward operational readiness was taken on Dec. 20, 2024, when Namibia gazetted its AfCFTA tariff offer, thereby positioning itself to commence trading under the framework.