Core Viewpoint - Namibia is shifting its focus towards the $3.4 trillion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market to reduce reliance on U.S. preferential access amid the turmoil surrounding the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) [1] Group 1: Market Strategy - The Speaker of Parliament, Sara, highlighted that African exporters are highly susceptible to external policy changes, which can disrupt supply chains and lead to decreased export revenues, threatening jobs in related industries [1] - Namibia aims to build a resilient and diversified market, with AfCFTA emerging as a new strategic growth platform [1] Group 2: Participation in AfCFTA - Namibia's path to participating in AfCFTA is clear: it was signed in 2018, ratified in 2019, and a tariff plan is set for 2024 [1] - Trade under this mechanism officially began in June of this year, with Namibia exporting 45,000 tons of salt from Walvis Bay to Nigeria, and Meatco planning to export wet blue hides to Mombasa, Kenya in November [1] - Although the scale of these exports is limited, they hold significant symbolic importance for Namibia's entry into the AfCFTA market [1]