The founder and chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has disclosed that the aggregate value of enterprises and industries across Africa must be networked, coordinated and impactfully leveraged.
According to him, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) promises economic integration, hence, its success will be the collective success of the African continent. He stated that Africans must put in every effort to achieve the goals of the AfCFTA.
Speaking at the opening of the maiden Africa Prosperity Dialogues at the Safari Valley Resort in Adukrom in the Eastern Region, Mr Otchere-Darko highlighted that AfCFTA’s “success is the success” of the continent.
“If it works, it will boost significantly trade and investments, provide jobs and increase prosperity across the continent like never before… The aggregate value of enterprises and industries across Africa must be networked, coordinated and impactfully leveraged.”
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko
In a bid to attain the success of AfCFTA and make it work for all and sundry, Mr Otchere-Darko explained that the workings of the AfCFTA must be seen and felt from the onset to be for the people of Africa. He noted that for the collective ownership and shared benefit for all, it must be owned by businesses in Africa.
“That is why, we of the Africa Prosperity Network, are pleased to have created this dedicated platform, the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, as an annual retreat where business leaders, thought leaders, trade associations, development organisations, young and women entrepreneurs, etc., will sit together, think together, plan together, and work together, with urgency, to intensify the efforts towards achieving the goals of AfCFTA.”
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko
On his part, the executive director of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), Dr Eugene Owusu, welcoming the participants, revealed that the game-changer in the development of Africa will be the speed and scope of AfCFTA. As such, the next two days must not be a celebration but a call to action.
“It is truly heartwarming to see this assembly of eminent business and policy leaders from across the continent come together around the AfCFTA and to do so with such enthusiasm and vitality.”
Dr Eugene Owusu
Significance of Africa Prosperity Dialogues
Dr Owusu indicated that the Africa Prosperity Dialogues series has been established as a convening platform for Africa political and business leaders to set and push initiatives to transform Africa. He reckoned that this will be actualized with the overarching objectives of achieving prosperity across the continent through in particular, enhanced economic cooperation, deeper trade and integration and accelerating impact investment.
“There is no doubt that this maiden Africa Prosperity Dialogue is taking place against the backdrop of immersed challenges that confront our continent but also exciting opportunities that our continent has to transform itself.”
Dr Eugene Owusu,
Meanwhile, deputy minister of Trade and Industry for Ghana, Herbert Krapa, has stated that the country is ready for the full operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
He revealed that the customs unit of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is ready and has the competence to provide certificates of origin including all the requirements in place for the smooth take-off of the agreement.
“We have everything in place, and we are part of the seven countries which have already traded under the Guided Trade Initiative.”
Herbert Krapa
Mr Krapa, however, hinted that Ghana was not part of the countries delaying the full operationalization of the agreement. He noted that the ministry is currently collecting data that would enable it to develop a special package for companies which sought to take advantage of AfCFTA.
READ ALSO: Gold For Oil Is A Cunning Ploy To Enrich Government Players- Former GNPC CEO
