LONDON, 22 Oct. - (ANA) - Policymakers should focus on accelerating implementation of Africa’s free trade area to make the continent more resilient to global shocks, the secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat said.

 

Wamkele Mene, speaking at the FT Africa Summit in London, conceded that trade was not happening “at the pace that we would like to see” within the AfCFTA, which in 2018 became the world’s largest free trade area by territory. 

 

Mene said Washington’s “disregard for trade rules” and the expiration of the AGOA preferential trade agreement with the US highlighted the need for Africa to “build a domestic market,” by establishing reliable supply chain networks and using transport logistics to improve trade.

 

Boosting trade between nations on the continent is widely seen as a crucial step towards strengthening economic development. Intra-African trade reportedly made up just 14% of total African trade in 2024, compared to around 60% intra-regional trade for both Asia and Europe.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/22 October 2025 - - -