ABSTRACT
The PTA (Preferential Trade Area) was created as a first step towards the establishment of a Common Market for Eastern and Southern African States. It is an institution whose aim is to assist Member States to attain economic transformation and social advancement and to address the problems of economic dependency on external institutions, mass poverty and general underdevelopment. It also seeks to jointly attain higher rates of sustainable growth through the ‘promotion of cooperation and development in all fields of economic activity, particularly in the field of tradt, customs, industry, transport, communications, agriculture, natural resources and monetary affairs with the aim of contributing to the progress and development of the African countries.’ PTA is, therefore, not a mere trade promotion organization. It is an institution for enhancing sustainable growth and development in the Member States.
