AfCFTA chief: Focus must shift from agreements to action
AfCFTA secretariat, Mr Wamkele Mene
What you need to know:
- Launched in 2021, it has already ushered in commercially meaningful trade in several sectors and established instruments such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the Non-Tariff Barriers Reporting Mechanism, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund.
Abuja. While significant strides have been made in laying the foundation for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the next phase must focus on full implementation, with greater investment in infrastructure, ratification of key protocols, and deeper private sector participation.
This was the key message delivered by the secretary general of the AfCFTA secretariat, Mr Wamkele Mene, during a keynote speech at the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings held in Abuja.
In a speech titled “Realising the Vision of the African Founders: Progress Towards Africa’s Trade and Economic Integration,” Mr Mene acknowledged the continent’s achievements—including ratification by 49 countries, operational trade in goods and services under AfCFTA rules, and the adoption of critical protocols on investment, digital trade, and intellectual property.
However, he warned that the true promise of the AfCFTA cannot be realised through protocols and political commitments alone.
“Implementation must now be our driving focus,” he said.
“Non-tariff barriers—such as cumbersome regulations, inefficient customs procedures and infrastructure gaps—still hinder the flow of goods and services,” he added.
He called for “bold investments” in transport, energy, and digital infrastructure to connect African markets physically and reduce the cost and complexity of trade across borders.
Another key hurdle, Mr Mene noted, is the slow ratification of the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons. Without it, the AfCFTA’s ability to facilitate trade in services—such as finance, telecommunications, and tourism—will remain limited.
“Trade in goods has taken the lead, but the AfCFTA’s full promise depends on complementing that with the movement of people, open skies, and a framework that enables businesses to operate seamlessly across borders,” he emphasised.
In addition, Mr Mene underscored the need to reposition the private sector from being mere beneficiaries of integration to becoming active drivers of the continental trade agenda.
“The private sector must be at the centre of Africa’s integration—not as a beneficiary, but as a key driver,” he said.
The AfCFTA aims to unify all 55 African Union Member States into a single market of 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of $3 trillion.
Launched in 2021, it has already ushered in commercially meaningful trade in several sectors and established instruments such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the Non-Tariff Barriers Reporting Mechanism, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund.
Still, Mr Mene reminded delegates that the work is far from complete. He called for renewed clarity, urgency and collective action to honour the vision of Africa’s founding leaders.
“We stand on the shoulders of giants. We dare not fail in this historic mission to integrate and transform Africa,” he said.
He also reaffirmed the AfCFTA secretariat’s commitment to working with Member States, the private sector and strategic partners such as Afreximbank to make the AfCFTA a reality that delivers tangible benefits to Africans across the continent.
