Reform · Regional
The AfCFTA Agreement in force, and who has ratified it
Record AFR-T-0001 · draft, not yet reviewed by a person
Status by track
LegalIn force · 30 May 2019sources checked 27 Oct 2026
The Agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019. The African Union's status list of 22 May 2026 counts 54 signatures and 49 ratifications, with Benin, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan not ratified and Eritrea not signed. The AU Assembly in February 2026 commended Somalia for ratifying and urged it to deposit its instrument. The AfCFTA Secretariat's July 2026 tracker counts 50 State Parties, Somalia among them with a note that its deposit has not been confirmed. tralac reports that Somalia deposited on 4 September 2026; the depositary's own record of that was not found in the sources read.
- Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area · 30 May 2019"ENTERED INTO FORCE ON 30th MAY 2019" "ENTERED INTO FORCE ON 30th MAY 2019"not yet checked by a personList of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area · PDF p.2 of 2 (note under the table) · not yet checked by a person
- Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area · 22 May 2026"Total countries : 55", "of signature : 54", "of ratification : 49", "of deposit : 49"; the rows for Benin, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan show no ratification "Total countries : 55", "of signature : 54", "of ratification : 49", "of deposit : 49"; the rows for Benin, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan show no ratificationnot yet checked by a personList of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area · PDF p.2 of 2 (totals row); list dated 22/05/2026 · not yet checked by a person
- Somalia's ratification, deposit awaited · undatedthe Assembly "COMMENDS the Republic of Madagascar for ratifying the Agreement Establishing the AfCFTA and for having deposited its Instrument of Ratification; FURTHER COMMENDS the Federal Republic of Somalia for ratifying the Agreement Establishing the AfCFTA and encourages expeditious deposit of its Instrument of Ratification" the Assembly "COMMENDS the Republic of Madagascar for ratifying the Agreement Establishing the AfCFTA and for having deposited its Instrument of Ratification; FURTHER COMMENDS the Federal Republic of Somalia for ratifying the Agreement Establishing the AfCFTA and encourages expeditious deposit of its Instrument of Ratification"not yet checked by a personDecision on the report of the first meeting of the Assembly Committee of Heads of State and Government on the implementation of the AfCFTA, Assembly/AU/Dec.975(XXXIX) · paragraph 10, PDF p.2 of 5 · not yet checked by a person
- State Parties counted by the Secretariat, July 2026 · Jul 2026stage 01 lists "50 countries", among them "Somalia*", with the note: "Somalia has completed its parliamentary ratification process. The AfCFTA Secretariat has not yet received official notification that its instrument of ratification has been deposited with the African Union Commission." stage 01 lists "50 countries", among them "Somalia*", with the note: "Somalia has completed its parliamentary ratification process. The AfCFTA Secretariat has not yet received official notification that its instrument of ratification has been deposited with the African Union Commission."not yet checked by a personStatus of Tariff Offers: July 2026 · stage 01, "State Parties that have ratified the Agreement", and the note under "About these figures" · not yet checked by a person
- Somalia's deposit (secondary report) · 4 Sep 2026"As at mid-September 2026, 50 of the 54 signatories had deposited their instruments of ratification. Somalia deposited its instrument of ratification with the depositary (the Chair of the African Union Commission) on 4 September 2026." "As at mid-September 2026, 50 of the 54 signatories had deposited their instruments of ratification. Somalia deposited its instrument of ratification with the depositary (the Chair of the African Union Commission) on 4 September 2026."not yet checked by a personAfCFTA: Frequently Asked Questions, updated September 2026 · PDF p.2, question 2 (second column; the text carries a footnote marker after "ratification", pointing to a post on X) · not yet checked by a person
Not established
- Whether the depositary has recorded Somalia's deposit. A status list later than 22 May 2026 was not found in the sources read.
- The Secretariat's tracker lists Benin and South Sudan among State Parties with adopted tariff schedules (South Sudan's also gazetted), while the depositary's list shows neither as having ratified. The sources read do not explain this.
Evidence
- relationship with the regional economic communities"State Parties that are members of other regional economic communities, regional trading arrangements and custom unions, which have attained among themselves higher levels of regional integration than under this Agreement, shall maintain such higher levels among themselves." "State Parties that are members of other regional economic communities, regional trading arrangements and custom unions, which have attained among themselves higher levels of regional integration than under this Agreement, shall maintain such higher levels among themselves."not yet checked by a personAgreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (consolidated text) · Article 19(2), PDF p.14 of 78 · not yet checked by a person
Institutions named
A role is shown only where a quoted source says what the institution does on this reform.
Reach: 0 cross-border links, 0 blockers, 1 institutions in 1 country. Counted from the records.