The event emphasized the importance of the Charter on Private Sector Development, Rights and Protection Environment in Africa the Private Sector Bill of Rights (PSBoR) for an Enabling Business Environment in Africa. The Private sector is a critical driver in the implementation of the AfCFTA, therefore engaging with key stakeholders through this session was essential. Working with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and strategic partners alongside economic actors, contributes towards creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive under the AfCFTA Agreement.

The joint session held at the AfCFTA pavilion at the IATF on November 14 2023, centred around the PSBoR,  a pioneering initiative proposed by the APSS in partnership with PACCI. This bill is designed to establish a conducive trade and investment climate for the vast opportunities in intra-African trade across the continent. The PSBoR aims to leverage the protocols of Africa’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the AfCFTA Agreement, ratified by 47 African countries and signed by 54 member states as at yet.

According to the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene, “the Private Sector is the core pillar for achieving the AfCFTA goals, because the Private Sector creates jobs, fosters innovation and enables fair competition for business in the continent.” He highlighted that “the PSBoR will be included into the AfCFTA report to the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of the AU, in February 2024, more so, in the context of the African Union’s 2023 theme of the year of “Acceleration of the AfCFTA Implementation”.

According to Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, the Chairman of the APSS, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu in his keynote address, only 16% of Africa’s global trade is regional within the continent, in stark contrast to 68% in Europe, 59% in Asia, and 30% in North America. When fully implemented, the AfCFTA is expected to boost intra-African trade by 52%, lift 30 million people out of poverty, and increase the continent’s GDP by USD 450 billion by 2035.

In an ambitious move APSS, under its Ubuntu Ecosystem Strategy, also labelled as the AfCFTA-APSS Ecosystem Train, is launching a comprehensive engagement process with African leaders and governments across five geographic regions and the diaspora. In furtherance to this, APSS has restructured, thereby creating an Advisory Board and an Executive Board, with nominations from Africa’s five geographic regions with the Diaspora. The aim of the campaign is to enable the vetting, validation and adoption of the 24 rights within the proposed PSBoR. The rights encompass various aspects, including peace, security, stability, effective legal systems, harmonised quality assurance standards, and a robust consultative relationship between the public and private sectors. The AfCTFA Secretariat is committed to supporting the private sector and therefore brings the PSBoR into mainstream African economic integration discussions, by leading the APSS Ecosystem based intervention.

The Joint AfCFTA Private Sector Session featured high-profile speakers, each contributing valuable insights to the dialogue. Mr. Judson Wendell Addy, Founder and Chair Emeritus of APSS, delivered welcome remarks, setting the tone for a collaborative and insightful session. Professor Kingsley Moghalu, delivered his keynote address at the event where the outgoing APSS Chairman handed over the gavel of authority to him formally as the new Chairman of APSS. Prof. Moghalu emphasized the PSBoR Charter as a companion instrument to RECs and AfCFTA, vital in delivering the vision encapsulated in the AU’s Agenda 2063, “The Africa We Want.”

The Joint AfCFTA Private Sector Session marked a groundbreaking step towards the creation of a Single African market through the AfCFTA and led by the private sector. Ensuring that the latter has the required support is paramount to the success of the implementation. The emphasis on the PSBoR and the ecosystem approach underscored the pledge of both AfCFTA and APSS to shaping a prosperous and interconnected future for the continent. The participants were exhorted to encourage their respective business associations, chambers of commerce, regulatory institutions and governmental bodies at national and subnational levels to warmly embrace the PSBoR as an instrument for creating the enabling business environment the continent needs to achieve Agenda 2063. The clarion call “all aboard AfCFTA-APSS Ecosystem Train” will see to it that Africa achieves Agenda 2063 and gets to the 4th Industrial Revolution ready and transformed in record time.

The Fund will support countries and private entities through financing, technical assistance, grants and compensation funding in their transition to the new trading regime and mitigate any negative impacts that may arise during this process. By providing targeted support, the Fund aims to ensure that no country is left behind and that the benefits of the AfCFTA are shared equitably and in a sustained manner across the continent.

The inaugural board meeting of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation held today in Kigali. The board members deliberated on key issues that will serve as a foundation for the successful operationalisation of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund. Amongst these include the appointment of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the impact investment platform of African Export-Import Bank, as the Fund Manager for the Adjustment Fund.

The AfCFTA Adjustment Fund consists of three sub-Funds namely, the Base Fund, the General Fund, and the Credit Fund. The Base Fund will utilise contributions from AfCFTA State Parties as well as grants and technical assistance to address tariff revenue losses that would result from the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement. The General Fund will finance the development of trade enabling infrastructure while the Credit Fund will be used to mobilise commercial funding to support both the public and private sectors enabling them to adjust and take advantage of the opportunities created by the AfCFTA.

Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra, Chairman of the Board of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation, said: “It is important to note that the Adjustment Fund is not intended to perpetuate dependency, rather, it is designed to foster self-reliance. Its resources are aimed at assisting countries in overcoming temporary hurdles and building the foundations for long-term economic resilience. Through careful investment and strategic planning, Member States can utilise the Fund’s support to enhance their productive capacities, diversify their economies, and accelerate progress towards sustainable development goals. It gladdens my heart to be an active participant in this noble demonstration of history in the making. I enjoin all of us to seize this historic opportunity to unlock Africa’s vast potential, strengthen regional integration, and forge a brighter future for all, together.”

H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said: “This inaugural meeting of the Board of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund heralds a commendable milestone in the successful implementation of the Agreement. In collaboration with our strategic partner Afreximbank, we are commited to provide the necessary support to State Parties and private entities through the Adjustment Fund. The Board, composed of experts and driven leaders of the continent, will carry out the necessary actions to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations.”

Dr. George Elombi, Executive Vice president, Governance, Corporate and legal Services of Afreximbank, said: “Afreximbank welcomes the convening of the first Board meeting of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, which marks a significant milestone in advancing implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Given the enormous potential the AfCFTA holds for the continent, the Bank is exceptionally pleased to be a strategic partner to the AfCFTA Secretariat in establishing the Adjustment Fund. We are also pleased that our subsidiary, the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) has been appointed as the fund manager.”

Marlene Ngoyi, Chief Executive Officer of the Fund for Export Development in Africa, said: “FEDA is honored to have the opportunity to play a role in unlocking the vast potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. This transformative agreement has the power to create a more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future for millions of people across the continent. The appointment of FEDA as the investment manager of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund General Fund and Credit Fund demonstrates the AfCFTA Secretariat’s, Afreximbank’s, and FEDA’s commitment to the urgent realization of this grand vision.”

– Ends –

 About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want” and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade Agreement, which aims to bring together all 55 Member States of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

For further information, please contact: 

Ms. Grace Khoza, Principal Communications Advisor | African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat | E-mail: Grace.Khoza@au-afcfta.org | Accra, Ghana

Ms. Elydora Matubanzila, Communications Officer | African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat| E-mail: Elydora.Matubanzila@au-afcfta.org | Accra, Ghana

Communication | Marketing | Advocacy Division, African Continental Free Trade Area | 

E-mail: afcftacommunications@au-afcfta.org 

To find out more, please visit our website: http://au-afcfta.org

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

About Afreximbank

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. Afreximbank deploys innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Afreximbank is working with the AU and the AfCFTA Secretariat to develop an Adjustment Facility to support countries in effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of 2021, the Bank’s total assets and guarantees stood at about US$25 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$4 billion. Afreximbank disbursed more than US$51 billion between 2016 and 2021. The Bank has ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

About FEDA

The Fund for Export Development in Africa (“FEDA”) is an impacting investing subsidiary of the African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Bank”) set up to provide equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital to finance the multi-billion-dollar funding gap (particularly in equity) needed to transform the Trade sector in Africa.

FEDA pursues a multi-sector investment strategy along the intra-African trade, value-added export development, and manufacturing value chain which includes financial services, technology, consumer and retail goods, manufacturing, transport & logistics, agribusiness, as well as ancillary trade enabling infrastructure such as industrial parks.

Le Conseil consultatif de l’IATF2023 a déclaré au Caire que la décision de changer le lieu et les dates de l’événement continental, initialement prévu à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire, du 21 au 27 novembre 2023, faisait suite à des indications reçues du gouvernement ivoirien selon lesquelles il n’était plus en mesure d’accueillir la foire commerciale en raison des difficultés rencontrées pour importer des structures semi-permanentes et pour se conformer à certaines exigences en matière d’accueil.
Le Président Olusegun Obasanjo, Président du Conseil consultatif de l’IATF2023, qui est l’organe de gouvernance de la foire commerciale, a salué l’engagement du gouvernement égyptien qui a accepté d’être le nouvel hôte.
« Nous devons remercier le gouvernement de la République Arabe d’Égypte pour sa réactivité, sa flexibilité et sa volonté d’accueillir une nouvelle fois la foire commerciale intra-africaine », a déclaré M. Obasanjo. Il a poursuivi en ces termes : « Cela démontre sans aucun doute son engagement à promouvoir et à développer le commerce entre les pays africains. Avec l’Égypte, l’édition biennale de l’IATF a été lancée en 2018 avec brio. Nous rassurons donc toutes les parties prenantes de l’IATF2023, y compris les exposants, les délégués aux conférences, les acheteurs et les visiteurs professionnels, que nous ne doutons pas que l’expérience acquise avec l’Égypte en 2018 et avec l’Afrique du Sud lors de la deuxième édition à Durban en 2021, fera de cette troisième édition de la première plateforme africaine de commerce et d’investissement un succès au-delà de nos attentes ».

Pays hôte de l’édition inaugurale de l’IATF en 2018, qui a été couronnée de succès, l’Égypte dispose d’infrastructures et d’installations de premier ordre. Les organisateurs de l’IATF2023, en étroite collaboration avec le Ministère égyptien du Commerce et de l’Industrie, sont sur la bonne voie pour finaliser rapidement les dispositions nécessaires et veiller à ce que l’IATF2023 se déroule comme prévu dans d’excellentes conditions.
« La coordination est en cours avec la Banque africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) pour accueillir la troisième édition de la Foire commerciale intra-africaine, prévue du 9 au 15 novembre 2023 », a déclaré l’ingénieur Ahmed Samir, Ministre égyptien du Commerce et de l’Industrie. Il a ajouté :
« Nous tenons à apporter tout notre soutien à l’organisation de la foire sous une forme adaptée à la position de l’Égypte en Afrique. L’IATF2023 offrira aux entreprises une plateforme unique et précieuse pour accéder à un marché africain intégré de plus de 1,3 milliard de personnes avec un PIB de plus de 3500 dollars US, créé dans le cadre de la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine ».

L’IATF2023 fait écho à la décision de la Conférence des chefs d’État et de gouvernement de l’Union africaine de 2023 qui a adopté « l’accélération de la mise en oeuvre de la ZLECAf » comme thème de l’Union africaine pour l’année 2023. Cela souligne la grande importance de l’IATF en tant qu’initiative continentale et en tant que marché pour la ZLECAf.

FIN –

À propos de la Foire commerciale intra-africaine (IATF)
Organisée par la Banque africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank), en collaboration avec la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA) et le Secrétariat de la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf), la Foire commerciale intra-africaine (IATF) vise à fournir une plateforme unique pour faciliter l’échange d’informations sur le commerce et l’investissement afin de soutenir l’augmentation du commerce et de l’investissement intra-africains, en particulier dans le contexte de la mise en oeuvre de l’Accord sur la Zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECAf).

L’IATF réunit des acteurs continentaux et mondiaux pour présenter et exposer leurs biens et services et pour explorer les opportunités d’affaires et d’investissement sur le continent. Elle offre également une plateforme pour partager des informations sur le commerce, l’investissement et le marché avec les parties prenantes et permet aux participants de discuter et d’identifier des solutions aux défis auxquels sont confrontés le commerce et l’investissement intra-africains. Outre les participants africains, la foire commerciale est également ouverte aux entreprises et aux investisseurs de pays non africains souhaitant faire des affaires en Afrique et soutenir la transformation du continent grâce à l’industrialisation et au développement des exportations.

La troisième foire commerciale intra-africaine (IATF2023) devrait attirer :
● Plus de 1 600 exposants.
● Plus de 35 000 visiteurs, acheteurs et délégués de conférence des 55 pays africains, de la diaspora et du reste du monde.
● Plus de 43 milliards de dollars US de transactions commerciales et d’investissements

Pour vous inscrire en tant que délégué ou exposant à l’IATF2023, veuillez consulter www.intrafricantradefair.com

Contacts Presse :
Amadou Labba Sall asall@afreximbank.com

Evashnee Naidu evashnee.naidu@rxglobal.com

What: UONGOZI Institute in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat is organising the 7^th African Leadership Forum (ALF) on “Promoting intra-Africa trade to unlock agricultural potential in Africa”.

Who: The forum is convened by H.E. Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, ALF Patron and fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania; and H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat.

When: 25 – 26 May 2023.

Where: The Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana.

How: The forum will feature an opening plenary session and three closed thematic sessions on:

1. Unlocking agricultural potentials in Africa.
2. Market as a driver for fostering agricultural productivity in Africa.
3. Mobilising African stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation of the AfCFTA.

The closed sessions will be held under Chatham House Rules to encourage frank, open and in-depth discussion. 

Objective: The forum seeks to provide a space to share experiences and insights to facilitating a successful agricultural trade among African countries. The key objectives are to:

1. Highlight Africa’s agricultural potentials and opportunities emerging from climate change;
2. share experiences and lessons on the obstacles (internal and international) in   maximising agricultural potential in Africa;
3. discuss the potential and obstacles to, as well as practical and realistic requirements for implementing AfCFTA within Africa’s agriculture context; and
4. identify priorities and roadmap for implementation of the agricultural trade perspective under the AfCFTA in order to realise its transformative economic objective.

Guest of honour: H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana.

Participants: The delegates of the forum will include H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; H.E. Dr. Mohamed Moncef Marzouki, Former President of the Republic of Tunisia; H.E. Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; H.E. Thomas Boni Yayi, Former President of the Republic of Benin; H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of the Republic of Liberia; H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; H.E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, Former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; and H.E. Uhuru Muigai Kenyata, Former President of the Republic of Kenya.

Other delegates are leaders from all parts of the continent – and from a range of professions in government, business, academia and civil society.

Journalists are invited to cover the opening plenary session on 25 May 2023 from 8:30am – 12:30pm, and the closing session on 26 May 2023 from 12:30pm – 13:30pm where the statement of the forum will be presented.

You are kindly entreated to arrive, 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony.

For further information, please contact: 

Mrs. Grace Khoza, Principal Communications Advisor | AfCFTA Secretariat | E-mail: Grace.Khoza@au-afcfta.org | Accra, Ghana | www.au-afcfta.org  

Ms. Suzana Aroko, Acting Communications Manager | UONGOZI Institute | E-mail: saroko@uongozi.or.tz | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | www.uongozi.or.tz

Take part in the online conversation: #ALF2023

Date: Monday, 08 May 2023

AfCFTA HOSTS A REMARKEBLY SUCCESSFUL FIRST IN-PERSON BUSINESS  FORUM 

Cape Town – In a show of force and conviction, Africa’s private sector showed up in large  numbers to attend the first in-person Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Business  Forum in Cape Town, South Africa recently. 

Convened by the AfCFTA Secretariat under the patronage of the His Excellency, President  Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of the Republic of South Africa, the conference attracted over  1000 physical attendees and just under 2000 virtual participants representing Africa’s private  sector, strategic investors, financial institutions, investment promotion agencies, business  councils, multilateral organisations, chambers of commerce, multinational corporations,  African women and youth business organisations, as well as political leadership from 63 countries across the African continent, the African diaspora, Asia, Europe and the Americas. 

The Forum, noted as one of the biggest business events in Africa, was addressed by various  company CEOs representing the private sector and political leadership tasked with driving  Africa’s economic integration. Headline conference speakers included His Excellency,  Mahamadou Issoufou, Former President of the Republic of Niger and AfCFTA Champion, the  Deputy President of South Africa, Honourable Paul Mashatile, The Secretary General of  AfCFTA Secretariat, His Excellency, Wamkele Mene, Ms. Ojiambo Sanda, Assistant  Secretary General of UN Global Compact, Honourable Minister Ebrahim Minister Patel,  Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition of the Republic of South Africa, , Her Excellency,  Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union, His Excellency, Prof.  Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Afreximbank and Mr. Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation.  

A key aspect of the Forum was its ability to pull together leading African and global thinkers  as speakers and moderators from a wide variety of business sectors and industries to offer their  perspectives on how to drive intra-African trade in the most meaningful and pragmatic manner.  

The key objectives of the event were to create awareness of the current trade and investment  opportunities in AfCFTA among Africa’s business community; connect businesses to funding  opportunities for AfCFTA value chains; establish a private sector engagement platform for  continued consultations on private sector needs in the implementation of the AfCFTA; and to  promote a private sector-friendly environment, especially for Small, Micro and Medium  Enterprises (SMMEs) led by Women and Youth, to unlock more accessible and affordable  trade finance opportunities.

1

The AfCFTA Secretary-General, His Excellency, Wamkele Mene urged the private sector to  become the drivers of the AfCFTA. He said, “in order for us to see the results that we all desire,  the private sector should play a critical role in the implementation of the AfCFTA”. 

He underlined the fact that “it is the private sector that drives trade, and therefore creating an  integrated One African Market hinges upon effective private sector participation in the  implementation of the AfCFTA”.

Participants noted that there were several key challenges that needed to be tackled if the  AfCFTA was to become a reality. Key amongst these were the lack of access to finance, poor  infrastructure, and the high cost of doing business. The conference agreed that there was a need  to support investment in infrastructure, including energy, transport, and ICT, to reduce business  costs whilst stressing the need to promote regional value chains and the development of local  industries to increase intra-regional trade.

Various speakers and delegates urged the private sector to identify opportunities for investment  in value chains that will increase intra-Africa trade.

The forum was the launchpad of the HerAfCFTA movement which seeks to bring the issues  affecting women in trade to the centre stage by creating a platform that will supercharge export  readiness of women to explore the opportunities offered by the AfCFTA. This initiative is  particularly important as the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is being negotiated.

The Business Forum provided an excellent opportunity to introduce businesses to the AfCFTA  HUB, a unified electronic gateway connecting e-government portals, business & consumer  apps and supranational platforms into one continental digital ecosystem.

Among the key topics discussed, the conference explored challenges and opportunities  pertaining to key sectors such as Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, Agribusiness, Transports and  Logistics and Digital Trade. In addition, operational tools such as the Pan African Payment  and Settlement System, and other digital solutions developed to allow seamless flow of data,  capital and services were highlighted. 

The Forum was also an opportunity to discuss with the private sector the opportunity of the  investment regulatory framework adopted under the AfCFTA which will facilitate key  investments on the continent for increased intra Africa trade.

At the conclusion of the Forum, the AfCFTA Secretariat introduced the new name for the  forum moving forward – “Biashara Africa” – Trade Africa and announced that the next  edition would be held in May 24^th – 25^th 2024 at a venue to be communicated well in  advance. 

–ENDS —

About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda  2063: The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade  agreement, which aims to bring together all 55 Member States of the African Union, covering  a market of more than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical  areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other  areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly  boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all  services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Grace Khoza, Principal Communications Advisor | African Continental Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA) Secretariat | E-mail: Grace.Khoza@au-afcfta.org | Accra, Ghana 

Ms. Elydora Matubanzila, Communications Officer | African Continental Free Trade Area  (AfCFTA) Secretariat| E-mail: Elydora.Matubanzila@au-afcfta.org | Accra, Ghana

Communication | Marketing | Advocacy Division, African Continental Free Trade Area | E-mail: afcftacommunications@au-afcfta.org

To find out more, please visit our website: http://au-afcfta.org

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

For Immediate Release
Date: Wednesday, 12 April 2023

THE FIRST IN-PERSON AfCFTA BUSINESS FORUM SET TO TAKE PLACE IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town – Africa’s private sector will descend upon Cape Town, South Africa to participate in the 2023 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Business Forum – the first one to be held in person. Convened by the AfCFTA Secretariat under the patronage of His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, The President of the Republic of South Africa, the conference is scheduled to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 16 – 18 April 2023.

The key objectives of the event are to create awareness of the current trade and investment opportunities in AfCFTA among Africa’s business community; connect businesses to funding opportunities for AfCFTA value chains; establish a private sector engagement platform for continued consultations on private sector needs in the implementation of the AfCFTA; and to promote a private sector-friendly environment, especially for Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) led by Women and Youth, to unlock more accessible and affordable trade finance opportunities. In this context, the event primarily aims to attract broad participation of Africa’s private sector, strategic investors, financial institutions, investment promotion agencies, business councils, chambers of commerce, multinational corporations, African women and youth business organisations, as well as Heads of States and Government, and AfCFTA Partners.

The AfCFTA Secretary-General His Excellency Wamkele Mene has called on Africa’s business community to partner the Secretariat in order to ensure a successful implementation of the Agreement. He said “creating an integrated One African Market hinges upon effective private sector participation in the implementation of the AfCFTA. It is therefore critical that Africa’s private sector, as one of the key drivers, takes a keen and active interest, supports and fully participates in AfCFTA’s programmes”. “The idea is that we come together to find solutions aimed at boosting intra-Africa trade, creating opportunities, innovation and of course taking advantage of this expanded market under the AfCFTA”. “It is only with the business community’s full involvement that we will achieve our goal of enhancing intra-African trade, raise Africa’s trading position on the global market, and accelerate economic growth, industrialization, production, and job creation”, added Mene.

The AfCFTA Business Forum is aimed at giving momentum and accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA. In the short space of time since coming into existence, the AfCFTA has recorded some notable achievements including completion of Phase I of the AfCFTA and components of Phase II covering Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, the Dispute Settlement Mechanism, Investments, Competition Policy, and Intellectual Property Rights, provide countless trade and investment opportunities for the private sector to capitalize on. The Digital Trade protocol, which is expected to be concluded in July 2023, shall establish the appropriate regulatory framework for new market opportunities in the digital economy. The protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, which is also expected to be concluded in July 2023 is an important instrument for achieving inclusive benefits in the AfCFTA market.

While the conference will cover various pertinent trade issues, it will put a spotlight on the following sectors: agro-processing; automotive; pharmaceuticals; transportation and logistics; and digital trade and payments. Critical themes and topics that will come under the spotlight in the Business Forum include:

• Accelerating AfCFTA implementation in the current geo-economic context
• From primary inputs to value Addition: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation through the
  AfCFTA
• Boosting Agriculture and Agro-processing value chain under the AfCFTA
• Building local pharmaceutical manufacturing and IPR capacity
• Product integrity and traceability
• Expanding Digital Trade and interoperable payments systems in the AfCFTA
• Manufacturing and Assembling Automobiles under the AfCFTA
• Doing Business in Africa: Investment protection and facilitation under the AfCFTA
• Financing AfCFTA Value-Chain Development
• Transports and logistics to unlock the “One African Market”
  The forum takes place after the Guided Trade initiative, where countries have already started trading
  under the AfCFTA which makes this the ideal time to take advantage of the opportunity to promote
  business and investment in Africa.
  The AfCFTA Secretariat takes this opportunity to thank the Government and the People of South Africa for their support towards the hosting of this first face to face AfCFTA Business Forum.
  The Business Forum will be preceded by a media briefing that will be held on Saturday, 15 April 2023. This will be an opportunity for the media to meet members of the AfCFTA Secretariat and find out more about the forum. The full details of the media briefing:
  
• Date: Saturday, 15 April 2023
  Time: 13h00 SAST
  Venue: CTICC2 (Watsonia Room)
  Members of the media that are interested and will be able to participate in the AfCFTA Business Forum and Media briefing are requested to register in order to receive media accreditation using the following link: https://au-afcfta.org/abf2023/. No person will be allowed to attend if they have not registered. In addition, we request those who wish to attend the media briefing to send an RSVP to:
  afcftacommunications@au-afcfta.org
  –ENDS —
  About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
  The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063:
  The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade agreement,
  which aims to bring together all 55 Member States of the African Union, covering a market of more
  than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy,
  such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

1. to allow commercially meaningful trading under the AfCFTA;
2. to test the operational, institutional, legal and trade policy environment under the AfCFTA; and
3. to send an important positive message to the African economic operators.
   The Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, His Excellency Wamkele Mene, speaking on the launch of the Guided Trade Initiative said: “The Guided Trade Initiative materialises the ambition of African Heads of State and Government to create a single market under the AfCFTA Agreement. We look forward to showcasing made in Africa products benefiting from tariff preferences under the AfCFTA and beyond that, the impact in African markets.”
   The products earmarked to trade under the AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative include: ceramic tiles, tea, coffee, processed meat products, corn starch, sugar, pasta, glucose syrup, dried fruits, and sisal fibre, amongst others, in line with the AfCFTA focus on value chain development.
   The interested State Parties represents 5 African regions. The AfCFTA Guided Trade Initiative will serve as a gateway to encourage continued trade under the AfCFTA, resulting in a multiplier effect and increased opportunities for SMEs, Youth and Women in trade and ultimately establishing sustainable and inclusive economic development.
   -ENDS-
   About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade

Women and Youth are the heart of trade on the continent, hence, their importance to the AfCFTA cannot be overstated. For the AfCFTA to be truly successful, businesses in particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in critical sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing (clothing and textiles) and services (especially tourism), informal trading, and professional services in which women and youth are predominantly engaged, must be supported to thrive. 

In order to achieve this objective, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union cemented a commitment to include a Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade in the scope of the AfCFTA Agreement. Therefore, in support of the preparatory phase of developing the Protocol the Conference dubbed: “Women and Youth: The Engine of AfCFTA Trade in Africa”, is being organised.  The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, in her capacity as the AfCFTA Champion for Women and Youth in Trade, and the Secretary- General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene, will be hosting the conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Hon. Dr. Ashatu Kijaji, Minister of Investiment, Industry and Trade stated that “Women and youth are at the heart of trade and have been the important drivers in economic development globally. Therefore, they need to be included in order to leverage on the opportunities offered under the Agreement.”

His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat also said “The purpose of the Conference is to promote the participation of women and youth in trade, as they are the drivers of intra-Africa markets and thus, need to not only be included in trade, but most importantly, be prioritised to foster opportunities under the Agreement.”

Our convening in Dar is not just to talk, but to take action and to ensure that the entire continent understands that if the AfCFTA does not work for women, SMEs, young entrepreneurs: we will not succeed.

The Conference will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, report launches, Q&A sessions and fireside chats with key personalities including Heads of States, political and business leaders across the continent among others. The sessions will be streamed live for online participants. 

–ENDS —

About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade agreement, which aims to bring together all 55 Member States of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

To find out more, please visit our website: http://au-afcfta.org

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

The AfCFTA Hub platform was launched on behalf of AfCFTA Secretariat by the African Union AfCFTA Champion, H.E. Mahamadou Issifou, former President of the Republic of Niger and 2020 Ibrahim Prize Laureate.

The Boma of Africa was jointly convened by the African Union (AU), the AfCFTA Secretariat, AfroChampions and the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). It was supported by the AfCFTA Hub Network, with support from Afreximbank, MTN, Ecobank, the Village Foundation, IC Publications, Dominion Television and APO.

The launch of the AfCFTA Hub also coincided with the 3^rd Anniversary of the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The launch event also featured a prize ceremony for a hackathon organised to mark the 3^rd Anniversary of the AfCFTA  and to  demonstrate the benefits of an “AfCFTA Hub” to Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and startups around the continent. The following companies as well as  one individual were recognized as finalists at the Hackathon Prize Ceremony:

• Made’s Group
• Brand House Media Limited
• TQay (Hayford Tenkorang Boadi)
• Anne’s Perfections
• Nunya’s Naturals
• Tropikal Brands

The  winners were as follows:

• Nunya’s Naturals: Circular Economy Prize
• TQay: Brand Equity Prize
• Tropikal Brands: AfCFTA Readiness Prize

The launch event also featured video reports of the AfCFTA Hub activation, feasibility and consultative reports, which evidenced strong private and public support across the continent for such a timely facility. Some of the activation partners joined the event to share additional views and pledge their continued support.

The lineup of corporate supporters included major logistics companies such as RwandAir, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Asky. Also represented were continental retail and distribution companies like MaxMart, Melcom, Walmart Africa and Naivas. On the digital, financial services, and fintech fronts, companies that participated in the launch of the AfCFTA Hub included mPesa, PAPSS, Vodacom, Orange, Webb Fontaine, Scanning Systems, and Standard Bank. Input into the development finance prospects came from the Arab Bank for Economic Development (BADEA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The AfCFTA Hub (www.afcfta.app) is an interconnected clearinghouse or nexus for national government, intergovernmental, private, and public digital and partnership platforms to link together in ways that simplifies and smooth the way for SMEs and startups to drive the success of the AfCFTA (the African Continental Free Trade Area ).

The AfCFTA has established the world’s largest trading bloc. However, it is essential to prevent SMEs and startups, which constitute the vast majority of economic actors on the African continent, from getting lost among the technical complexities and infrastructural bottlenecks of doing business in the Single Market.

The AfCFTA Hub is designed to grow into a single, trusted directory of the services needed to navigate the AfCFTA for small players, thereby making the AfCFTA the most inclusive Free Trade Area in the world.

The AfCFTA Hub also powers the “AfCFTA Number”, a trusted identity and social score for all SMEs, startups and other AfCFTA players.

His Excellency Wamkele Mene, in his keynote remarks emphasised the “importance of ensuring the centrality of SMEs, startups and female entrepreneurs as we strive to build the world’s most inclusive, most innovative and most integrated Single Market.”

–ENDS —

About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade agreement, which aims to bring together all 55 member states of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

For more info: http://au-afcfta.org Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Contacts:

Grace Khoza | Principal Communications Advisor|| Grace.Khoza@au-afcfta.org

Elydora Matubanzila |Communications Officer| Elydora.Matubanzila@au-afcfta.org

The Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, His Excellency Wamkele Mene and the African Development Bank’s Acting Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, signed the Protocol of Agreement for the grant of $11.24 million for AfCFTA implementation at the margins of the 9^th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade in Accra – Ghana. H.E. Wamkele Mene said: “We welcome the support of the Bank as this is a clear indication of our strategic partnership that will strengthen the capacity of the Secretariat and facilitate the start of commercially meaningful trade under the AfCFTA preferences. The COVID-19 pandemic and the current geopolitical tensions have created an ethos of urgent collective action for the implementation of the AfCFTA. We all have a shared responsibility to change the destinies of all Africans  as we achieve the laudable objective of the AfCFTA.”

 “The African Development Bank is proud of the strong partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat and confident that this institutional support will enable our respective mandates to spur greater continental trade and economic transformation, in line with Agenda 2063’s vision of the Africa we want,” Mrs. Yacine Fal, Acting Vice President of Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery said. “Africa’s hope for building back strong and better lies with the successful implementation of the AfCFTA.”

–ENDS —

About the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It is a high ambition trade agreement, which aims to bring together all 55 member states of the African Union, covering a market of more than 1.3 billion people, with a comprehensive scope that includes critical areas of Africa’s economy, such as digital trade and investment protection, amongst other areas. By eliminating barriers to trade in Africa, the objective of the AfCFTA is to significantly boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all services sectors of Africa’s economy, at a potential of 52.3 percent.

For more info: http://au-afcfta.org Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram

Contacts:

Grace Khoza | Principal Communications Advisor|| Grace.Khoza@au-afcfta.org

Elydora Matubanzila |Communications Officer| Elydora.Matubanzila@au-afcfta.org

About the African Development Bank (AfDB)

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

For more info: https://afdb.org/

Contacts:

Amba Mpoke-Bigg | Communication and External Relations Department|a.mpoke-bigg@afdb.org