The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents the world’s largest free-trade zone. The agreement entered into force in May 2019 and trade was meant to begin on July 1, 2020. Unfortunately, this has been delayed six months due to COVID-19, as forty-two African countries navigate full or partial lockdowns in response.
The Africa Center had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, for an interview covering the status of the agreement, specifics around ongoing rules of origin discussions, innovations in trade negotiations during this virtual period, efforts toward digitalization in customs and logistics, and the future of African supply chains. Click the link below to watch the full interview, moderated by Africa Center Senior Fellow Ms. Aubrey Hruby.
The only economic recovery tool that we have collectively as Africans is implementation of this agreement, so that trade becomes the driver of Africa’s recovery.
Aubrey Hruby is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. She is also Co-Founder of Insider and the Africa Expert Network. Follow her on Twitter @AubreyHruby.
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For more content, go to our Coronavirus: Africa page.
