The head of Africa’s free-trade bloc Wamkele Mene, has called for stronger private sector participation in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as the agreement moves from negotiations into full execution.
Mene met with African business leaders and private sector institutions on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit to discuss measures aimed at boosting intra-African trade, industrialization and regional value chain development.
The discussions brought together representatives from CGEM (Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc ), employers’ federations and business associations from countries including Chad, Mauritius, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania.
The meetings focused on practical solutions to deepen private sector engagement under the AfCFTA framework, which aims to create a single market across the continent.
Mene said private sector participation would be critical as the AfCFTA transitions fully into the implementation phase following the conclusion of negotiations on all protocols.
The discussions also stressed on the need to increase awareness and use of key AfCFTA tools including the AfCFTA e-Tariff Book, the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund and the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System, known as PAPSS.
Participants also discussed leveraging platforms such as the AfCFTA Private Sector Coordination Platform, the African Private Sector Dialogue and Biashara Afrika to strengthen collaboration among businesses across the continent.
According to officials, a stronger and more interconnected African private sector would be essential to building a more resilient and competitive continental economy while reducing dependence on external markets.
