Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a former Commissioner of the African Union Commission, has called on businesses in Africa to grow intra-continental trade in finished goods.
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma underscored the need for the continent to trade in its own goods. She explained that it is important because in 40 years [when Agenda 2063 is due], Africa will be able to celebrate free trade and say, “I can drive from Cape Town to Cairo and from Djibouti to Senegal”.
“Trade is not about raw materials; our colonisers did that and they continue to want to buy raw materials from us. That’s ill, and should stop. It’s something we must work at and fast.”
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
“Ninety per cent of our goods are transported across the Mediterranean. Who is in control of these processes?” she quizzed, adding that “this is something we must look at.”
Dr Dlamini-Zuma noted that when raw materials are exported, it is the higher-level of jobs that Africa exported, leading to the export of revenues to the detriment of its people and development.
“When we export raw materials, by the time it’s turned into a finished good, it’s probably 10 times or more expensive than the raw materials, and sometimes when they come back, most of us can’t afford them.”
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Businesses Shoring Up Efforts to Change the Situation
The former commissioner, therefore, urged businesses to shore up efforts to change such a situation, while encouraging governments on the continent to create the enabling environment for the success of AfCFTA.
The former commissioner’s call comes at the time the continent started implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – the largest free-trade area by number of member states, and a flagship project of the AU Agenda 2063.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma made this known at a ceremony held by the Secretariat of the (AfCFTA) in Accra in her honour to championing the AU Agenda 2063 and gender equality.
On gender issues, the Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities at the Presidency in South Africa, also said the continent cannot develop socially and economically and reach its full potential if it does not invest in women and give them opportunities to explore their potential.
Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, on his part, said, “it is important that we honour people once they’re still alive, and recognise their contribution while they’re still with us.”
Mr Mene noted that the Secretariat decided to honour Dr Dlamini-Zuma because she had contributed immensely in helping to build Africa, and introduced reforms in the AU.
“She ensured that when we talk about gender equality and equality of opportunities in institutions, such as the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU Commission, it’s not just a slogan, but we see the impact.”
Wamkele Mene
The Secretary General also acknowledged the effort of women, especially, at the launch of the African Prosperity Network, during the 2023 Afeximbank Annual Meetings in Accra.
“The principal architect of AfCFTA are strong women. We’ve found the moving train; a train that was started by strong women. A moving train whose foundation was already built by strong African women leaders.”
Wamkele Mene
Mr Mene iterated that the private sector remained critical in the actualisation of the objectives of the intra-trade pact to create jobs, engender innovations, and make Africa competitive on the global market.
Mene verbalised that the network of private sector that was being built under AfCFTA would create jobs for young Africans, spur on innovation, and put the continent on a path of competitiveness.
