The trade in service protocol’s main objective is to support the creation of a liberalised single market for the trade in services.

​

This protocol has several specific objectives to assist in this:

​

• enhance competitiveness of services through: economies of scale, reduced business costs, enhanced continental market access, and an improved allocation of resources including the development of trade-related infrastructure;

​

• promote sustainable development in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);

​

• foster domestic and foreign investment;

​

• accelerate efforts on industrial development to promote the development of regional value chains;

​

• progressively liberalise trade in services across the African
  continent on the basis of equity, balance and mutual benefit, by eliminating barriers to trade in services;

​

• ensure consistency and complementarity between liberalisation of trade in services and the various Annexes in specific services sectors;

​

• pursue services trade liberalisation in line with Article V of the GATS by expanding the depth and scope of liberalisation and increasing, improving and developing the export of services, while
  fully preserving the right to regulate and to introduce new regulations;

​

• promote and enhance common understanding and cooperation in trade in services amongst State Parties in order to improve the capacity, efficiency and competitiveness of their services markets; and

​

• promote research and technological advancement in the field of services to accelerate economic and social development.