Egypt signs African FTA agreement, ratification awaits parliament

Egypt signed on Wednesday along with 25 African nations an agreement to form the continent's largest free trade area (FTA), integrating the three existing economic zones, COMESA, SADC, and EAC.

However, Egypt's final ratification of the agreement will be pending upon an approval from the parliament which is yet to be elected, Industry and International Trade Minister, Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, told state-owned news agency MENA.

The North African country has been without a parliament since the house of representatives that was elected in late 2011 was dissolved in June 2012, following a court ruling that judged the law regulating its election to be unconstitutional.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi holds legislative powers until an elected parliament convenes.