Mr Wamkele Mene, the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has stated that the numerous challenges facing the continent present great opportunities for the continent to develop.
According to the Secretary-General of AfCFTA, the continent’s development is long overdue and as such, this is the time for the continent to fast-track its development.
“It is really an honour for us to be part of this dialogue because we have an opportunity as Africans a positive narrative about the challenges that we confront. Indeed, I believe that Africa’s challenges are Africa’s opportunities.”
Mr Wamkele Mene
The Secretary-General of AfCFTA was speaking at the opening of the maiden Africa Prosperity Dialogues at the Safari Valley Resort in Adukrom in the Eastern Region.
Africa Prosperity Dialogue, a Solution-driven Initiative to Fast-track AfCFTA
Vice-President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on his part , opined that the Africa Prosperity Dialogues has been organised as a solution-driven initiative to fast-track the implementation of the AfCFTA.
According to the Vice President, this is the best time for African businesses to brainstorm ideas which will inure to the benefit of the continent.
“This event has been organised as a solution-driven initiative to fast-track the implementation of the AfCFTA. This is the time for businesses to dialogue on smart ways to enjoy the opportunities from the engrained for the resilience, sustainable, inclusive and prosperous Africa.
“For most parts of the world, the narrative for this beautiful continent has sadly been about poverty, conflict, misgovernment, corruption and underdevelopment.”
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The Vice-President, moreover, challenged leaders of the continent to take the destiny of the continent into their own hands and change the bad image about the continent. Dr Bawumia noted that the continent has everything that is needed to transform Africa into a global powerhouse of the future.
“The time has come for Africa and Africans to define our own narrative. We cannot allow poverty and underdevelopment to be the destiny of Africa. A continent so blessed with every natural resource imaginable- oil, minerals gas and sunshine.”
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Boosting Intra-African Trade
Dr Bawumia averred that the AfCFTA is a game-changer and, once fully realised, will increase intra-African trade by some US$35 billion and reduce external import by some US$10 billion annually.
“This will mean an opportunity for growth and for our small businesses and the potential to lift more than three million people from poverty.”
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The Vice President noted that the AfCFTA has set the stage for Africa’s industrialization drive. However, he indicated that it will take concrete strategic action by governments and businesses on the continent the right mix of policies, a greater sense of purpose for a more robust intra-Africa trade to happen to support economic diversification and the much-needed industrialisation of the continent.
The maiden series of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues kicked off today, Thursday, 26th January, 2023 and will end on Saturday 28th January, 2023.
The event, also dubbed the Kwahu Summit, involves captains of industry, entrepreneurs, economists, bankers and other business leaders in Africa taking part in three days of discussion about what needs to be done next to expand trade and wealth creation across the continent.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues is a strategic platform where movers and shakers in the African economy will elevate the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Agreeement (AfCFTA) from ambition to real action.
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