Africa and Europe are stepping up engagement to translate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) from policy into measurable commercial outcomes, as early data point to rising intra-African trade and expanding market access.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, met Catarina Vieira, a member of the European Parliament, at the Secretariat’s headquarters to discuss closer EU–Africa trade cooperation and stronger parliamentary collaboration in support of the pact’s implementation.
The discussions reflected a shared commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system and to accelerating execution of the AfCFTA framework, following the completion of its core legal architecture. Protocols covering digital trade, women and youth in trade, as well as annexes to the intellectual property rights protocol, are now in place, shifting the focus toward delivery and commercial uptake.
Early indicators suggest progress. Intra-African trade reached about $220 billion in 2023, according to AfCFTA data, while more than 12,000 certificates of origin have been issued to facilitate preferential trade under the agreement. Africa also emerged as Nigeria’s largest export destination in 2024, underscoring the bloc’s growing role in regional market diversification.
The AfCFTA, which brings together 54 African countries into a single market, is seen as a cornerstone of the continent’s industrialization and economic integration strategy. Support from external partners such as the European Union is viewed as critical in areas including regulatory alignment, trade facilitation, digital infrastructure and capacity building.
The deeper cooperation between Africa and the EU could help sustain political backing for reforms needed to lower trade barriers, expand participation by small and medium-sized enterprises and ensure that the benefits of the free trade area are more widely shared across economies and demographics.
As implementation gathers pace, the focus is shifting to scaling up trade flows, strengthening value chains and embedding the AfCFTA as a driver of inclusive growth in Africa’s $3 trillion economy.
