REGIONAL : Africa blocs draft giant free trade roadmap

Three African trade blocs that have agreed to form a free trade area covering more than half a billion people created a long overdue roadmap on Monday. The Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) agreed to the plan in October 2008, but the roadmap was due to have been completed six months later.