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Building Sustainability into African Free Trade

14-15 December 2020
(online)

– Participation by invitation only –

The coronavirus pandemic has had devastating economic and social impacts on the African continent. As a consequence, even more hopes are resting on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) entered into force on 30 May 2019. By reducing tariffs and other barriers, signatory states seek to boost intracontinental trade and to overcome the continent’s marginalisation in the world economy. At the same time, they need to find common ground between strong and weak economies and to prevent social conflicts within countries.

How can a Pan-African free trade regime support economic recovery and sustainable development on the continent? What can international partner contribute to this endeavour? What lessons can be learned from other regional integration projects? To discuss these questions, we invited African and European business leaders, political decision-makers, academics and civil society representatives.

Video Clips

Dr Rob Davies on the prospects of success of the implementation of the AfCFTA

Lerato Mataboge on the necessity of a strong infrastructure and industrialisation drive in Africa

Samuel Mensah on the challenges of e-commerce and re-imports in Africa

Trudi Hartzenberg on the two lifes of the AfCFTA

Fabio di Stefano on coordinated EU initiatives to support the AfCFTA

Video Recordings

David Luke: How can the free trade area help to strengthen Africa’s position in the global economy?

Maria Auma Horne (BLI Global Capital), Lerato D. Mataboge (Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, South Africa), Samuel Mensah (KISUA.com) and Steven Pope (Deutsche Post DHL Group) discussing cross-border trade in and with Africa from a practitioner’s perspective

Stephan Bethe (German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), Prudence Sebahizi (Head of AfCFTA Negotiations Support Unit, African Union Commission), Fabio di Stefano (European Commission) and Sean Woolfrey (ECDPM) on the AfCFTA and the role of external partners