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Three African regional trade blocs have announced a plan to unite into a single large free trade zone.

Leaders from three regional African trading blocs reached an agreement Oct. 22 to harmonize their organizations and form a single free trade zone. The move will bring together the 26 countries that comprise the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

South African President and SADC Chairman Kgalema Motlanthe told reporters that the goals of the bloc would be to foster African economic integration and to develop common strategies for energy and transportation projects. No date was given for a launch of the bloc; officials said it could take another year to decide how to proceed into negotiations.

The free trade area would ultimately eliminate the existing regional trade blocs and merge them into a single zone, stretching across the eastern half of Africa from Egypt and Libya in the north all the way to South Africa. While the move is intended to boost trade within Africa, it is unlikely to bring significant changes in the trade patterns that keep Africa heavily dependent on outside markets.