President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed the instrument of accession of agreement for the establishment of the African Trade Insurance Agency.
Both the agreement and the agency, according to presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, were registered with the secretariat of the United Nations (UN) in accordance with the Charter of the UN.
He said it was in cognizant of that fact that lack of adequate political, non-commercial and commercial risk insurance had been a significant impediment to the availability of finance for investments in Africa and the expansion of African foreign trade and intra-Africa trade.
The statement said: “Agency, when executed, will acknowledge previous multilateral efforts made by African States towards regional economic integration through co-operation in trade liberalization and development so as to attain sustainable growth, promote economic activity and create an enabling environment for foreign trade, as well as cross-border and domestic investments.
“Recalling the economic objectives and aims of the African Union, there are several African Treaties on regional economic integration, including the Treaty Establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Treaty Establishing the Southern African Development Community and the Treaty Establishing the Economic Community of West African States.
“A memorandum from the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, stated that the request for the President’s signature on the agreement was sequel to the directive of the Federal Executive Council, that the instrument be prepared and forwarded for execution.
“The ratification was adopted at Grand Bay in the Republic of Mauritius on the Eighteenth Day of May 2000. The object and purpose of the Agency is to provide, facilitate, encourage and otherwise develop the provision of, or the support for, insurance, including coinsurance and reinsurance, guarantees, and other financial instruments and services, for purposes of trade, investment and other productive activities in African States.”
