AfCFTA Dialogues

Happy birthday to our founder, Eberechukwu Ezike! 🥳🥳 You continue to inspire so many with your dedication to building a united and prosperous Africa. May this new year bring you even more success, growth, and happiness. Here's to more groundbreaking achievements and countless reasons to celebrate! #afcftadialogues

Happy Uganda Independence Day! As the Republic of Uganda celebrates 62 years of independence, it is also embracing new economic opportunities through the AfCFTA, which Uganda has ratified. With its strategic location and rich resources, Uganda can leverage the AfCFTA to boost agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors, expanding its reach into African markets. Uganda's active participation is key to realizing a borderless, integrated, and prosperous Africa. May Uganda continue to thrive, blessed with peace, prosperity and unity! #Independenceday

Happy 64th Independence Day, Nigeria! 🇳🇬 Today, we celebrate Nigeria’s resilience and its key role in Africa’s progress. As one of the largest economies on the continent, Nigeria stands at the forefront of advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), driving economic unity and growth across borders. As we commemorate this day, let us continue to build bridges, break barriers, and shape a prosperous, integrated Nigeria and Africa. Together, we can harness the full potential of the AfCFTA to create a future where Africa thrives as one. #NigeriaAt64 #BorderlessAfrica #AnIntegratedAfrica #AfCFTADialogues Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office UNDP Nigeria

During the African Integration webinar on July 27, 2024, Ms. Clara Chinwe Okoro, founder of My Beautiful Africa, provided valuable insights on advancing sustainable tourism through enhanced intra-African mobility. Key takeaways include: 1. Organize seminars and workshops to discuss the impact of the AFCFTA on local communities, especially in border areas. 2. Engage with tourism stakeholders to break down barriers, promote intra-community travel, and enhance cultural exchange. 3. Encourage community feedback to ensure policies reflect the needs of local populations. 4. Foster international collaboration to implement sustainable tourism practices and empower local businesses. Thank you, Ms. Okoro, for sharing these important perspectives! #OATA #openafricatoafricans #anintegratedafrica #borderlessafrica #bridgesnotbarriers #afcftadialogues

We are grateful to have had Dr. Walter Mandela, Lead - Government Affairs, Africa at the World Economic Forum as one of our distinguished speakers at the African Integration Webinar on July 27, 2024. Dr. Mandela highlighted the importance of free movement of people in Africa and provided valuable recommendations for African governments to help facilitate this. Here are some of the key recommendations below: 1. African governments should implement reforms to simplify cross-border trade, particularly for women, who make up 70% of informal traders. 2. Governments should harness technology to boost efficiency, such as by adopting e-visas to streamline the visa process. 3. Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should be supported in promoting free movement. For instance, once a REC becomes a common market, citizens should be able to travel freely within the REC using only their national identity cards. 4. African governments should also invest in infrastructure to facilitate the movement of people across the continent. Thank you, Dr. Mandela for these valuable insights! #OATA #openafricatoafricans #freemovement #bridgesnotbarriers #borderlessafrica

We were honoured to have Ms. Fatima Alimohamed, CEO African Brand Warrior, as one of our esteemed speakers at the AfCFTA Dialogues African Integration Webinar on July 27, 2024. Ms. Alimohamed, amongst other things, spoke on the challenges businesses face due to visa restrictions, and how this can be mitigated to enhance economic integration. Some of the key points she highlighted include: 1. The importance of collaboration and partnerships among African countries to overcome the challenges that many businesses on the continent face. 2. The need for governments to reduce the exorbitant visa fees that Africans pay to travel within the continent. 3. The crucial role of young people in advocating for the free movement of Africans, given their educational qualifications and potential to contribute significantly to this cause. 4. The necessity for Africans to advocate more vigorously for policy changes and to raise awareness about the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). We are deeply grateful to Ms. Alimohamed for her invaluable contributions at the African Integration webinar! Thank you for your profound insights and unwavering commitment to advancing African integration. #openafricatoafricans #afcfta #freemovement #bridgesnotbarriers #OATA #borderlessafrica #anintegratedafrica

At the African Integration Webinar on July 27, 2024, David Akwara shared key insights on using storytelling to promote free movement and economic integration in Africa. Here are a few points he emphasized: 1. Storytelling through film and media can help people see beyond their local borders and inspire travel across Africa; 2. Storytelling is not just the responsibility of filmmakers but of every African; 3. Storytelling, particularly through documentary filmmaking, is a powerful tool for highlighting challenges, holding policymakers accountable, and encouraging positive change. Thank you, David, for taking the time out to share these valuable insights with us! #OATA #openafricatoafricans #borderlessafrica #bridgesnotbarriers #anintegratedafrica

On July 27, 2024, AfCFTA Dialogues had the privilege of hosting participants from across Africa at the African Integration Webinar. The event themed, "Building Bridges and Breaking Borders: Facilitating the Free Movement of Persons for African Economic Integration", sparked insightful discussions and debates. Our esteemed speakers, Ms. Fatima Alimohamed, Dr. Walter Mandela, Mr. David Akwara, and Ms. Clara Chinwe Okoro, shared thought-provoking perspectives on the importance of free movement in driving economic growth and integration. From highlighting the power of storytelling in reshaping Africa's narrative and questioning the continent's commitment to integration, to emphasizing the importance of technology, tourism and sound government policies in fostering economic integration, each speaker brought their unique expertise to the table. Under the moderation of Ms. Aida Oluwagbemiga, the conversation flowed seamlessly, allowing for a deep dive into the subject matter and a rich exchange of ideas between speakers and participants. The webinar served as a catalyst, challenging perspectives and inspiring new ideas. It was a powerful reminder that, together, we can break down borders and build bridges that foster economic prosperity and unity across Africa. In the coming days, we will share some key highlights from the webinar. Let's keep the conversation going as we strive towards a future where Africa is truly open to Africans. #AfCFTADialogues #OpenAfricaToAfricans #EconomicIntegration #OATA #FreeMovement #bridgesnotbarriers #borderlessafrica #anintegratedafrica

Recap of the 7th SADC Industrialization Week (2024) in Harare Zimbabwe!!! The event officially opened by His Excellency Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe under the theme, “Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development towards an industrialized SADC,” set the stage for impactful discussions and collaborations. Key takeaways from the 7th SADC industrialization Week(2024) 1 .Mou signing An MOU was signed between the Standards Association of Zimbabwe and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Bank. Through the MOU, the two parties aim to establish a Quality Assurance Center in Zimbabwe. This Centre will be responsible for regulating and monitoring the quality of imports and exports. 2. AFCFTA Took Center Stage at SADC Industrialization Week The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was a key focus at the SADC Industrialization Week. The event aimed to stimulate intra-African trade by emphasizing the development of Regional Value Chains. By leveraging each country’s unique strengths, the region seeks to industrialize and reap the benefits of the AfCFTA. 3. Insights from panel discussions Hon. David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion of the Republic of Zimbabwe, announced the establishment of a National Venture Capital Company, poised to become the largest fund of its kind. This public-private initiative aims to bridge the funding gap faced by startups and SMEs, as traditional capital markets often fall short of their needs. Prechard Mhako , Partner at Baker Tilly Capital, emphasized the importance of Startup Acts for SADC countries lagging behind in innovation and industrialization. These legal frameworks attract essential investment for startups and SMEs, ultimately paving the way for successful IPOs. 4.SME Participation The 7th SADC Industrialization Week exhibition provided a platform for SMEs to showcase their products. Among the SMEs exhibiting, Marlvin Chieza with Nyanga Craft Ciders and Legacy Mushroom were selected to pitch their businesses during a main session attended by all Delegates. Nyanga Craft offers premium, 100% unfiltered apple juice , while Legacy Mushroom specializes in skincare products crafted from organic ingredients infused with mushroom extracts. The 7th SADC Industrialization Week was a success, drawing thousands of attendees and exhibitors from across the region and beyond. The event provided a platform for fostering collaboration, showcasing regional products, and advancing the industrialization agenda. I ended the week with two inspiring site visits, to the technologically advanced Pricabe Farm, owned by His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the Dendairy factory . #afcfta #tradeinafrica #intraafricantrade #sadcsummit2024 Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries of Zimbabwe Industries ,SADC Secretariat ,AfCFTA Dialogues.

The AFCFTA is an agreement, among African nations, to foster and increase trade among African countries. To ensure the free movement of goods and services as projected by the AFCFTA agreement, African countries must open their borders and promote the free movement of persons. #openafricatoafricans I am excited to have talked about this pressing issue by participating in the essay competition held by the AfCFTA Dialogues. My essay “The Intersection of Free Movement and The AFCFTA in Ensuring Africa Integration” earned me 5th place in the essay competition. I am grateful for this opportunity to lend my voice to the action for economic prosperity in Africa. I am open to more opportunities like this and collaborations with relevant stakeholders.