The Communiqué of the first COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government held in October 2008 provides, in the area of trade, customs and economic integration, that the Tripartite Summit establish measures ‘to facilitate the movement of business persons across the RECs’.

One possible interpretation of this objective can be derived from the Final Tripartite Working Document of the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs) that led to the first Tripartite Summit. This preparatory document was developed by the Tripartite Task Force of the Secretariats of the three RECs. It sets out the background, purpose and objectives of the TFTA and contains all the relevant recommendations.

This raises an important question. Was the initial intention of the TFTA member states to only develop an agreement or protocol for the relaxation of visa requirements and the recognition of regional passports for the facilitation of movement of business people, professionals and eventually citizens across the TFTA region?

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