Mrs. Selma Ashipala Musavyi, the Namibian Ambassador to Ghana, has urged member countries in Africa to enhance personal relationships across the Continent to advance the ideals of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

According to the Namibian Ambassador to Ghana, socialising across the continent would help in the appreciation of iridescent culture and build synergy for the development of trade and industry. She noted that personal relationships would build confidence among Africans and enhance the patronage of locally produced goods and services.

“For meaningful intra-Africa trade to be sustained and beneficial, Africans must interact and visit one another’s countries. In so doing, we shall embrace one another and build confidence among ourselves.”
Mrs. Selma Ashipala Musavyi

Mrs Ashipala-Musavyi explained that failure for Africa to unite to embrace each other will not help the continent as it will be disjointed without a common purpose and vision.

“We shall be exposed to and take pride in our rich and diverse African culture. Most importantly, we shall and begin to consume what we produce, and create jobs for our young people. This should be the content of intra African tourism.

“This is critical because, as much as the AfCFTA is about movement of goods and services, in essence it is equally about movement of African people”.
Mrs. Selma Ashipala Musavyi

Mrs Ashipala-Musavyi praised the weather of the country, saying that the country has a “fabulous weather that many can only dream of”. She added that “captivating” topography of the country should encourage stakeholders to advance its development.

“Above all, you have the friendly and industrious people. So I encourage the youths to take full advantage of the emerging opportunities in intra African– tourism.”
Mrs. Selma Ashipala Musavyi

Africa Needs Unity to Develop Africa.

It can be recalled that Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia, Paramount Chief of the Asogli State, also made similar calls and passionately called for support for the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA). He noted that the agreement is the vehicle for continent-wide mobilisation, and could provide the unity needed for the development of Africa.

“I genuinely believe that the fortunes of Ghana must be linked with that of other countries on the African continent. I believe Africans are doing themselves so much harm by not coming together.”
Togbe Afede XIV

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive. It incorporates emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.