Mahamat who is attending the ongoing African Union Extraordinary Summit on the African Continental Free Trade Area in Kigali noted that working together as on Africa is paramount.
“We aspire to speak with one voice to our partners. We should prove our capacity to work together as one continent. I’m calling upon all AU member states to have one voice. Let’s hold hands and establish this continental free trade area.”
“The Continental African Free Trade Area, the Single Market on Air Transport in Africa, the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and the African Passport, as well as major regional infrastructure projects are the pillars of this endeavor”, he added.
AfCFTA is a flagship project of Agenda 2063 of the African Union – Africa’s own development vision. It was approved by the African Union Summit as an urgent initiative whose immediate implementation would provide quick wins, impact on socio-economic development and enhance confidence and the commitment of Africans as the owners and drivers of Agenda 2063.
Mahamat further urged the delegates to act responsibly and take measures to be part of the free movements and trade of the AFTCA.
“One question that looks at us is that can we accept to take the risks together or individually? At the time when the rest of the world is getting together but to forge ahead, we have to overcome our fears and project to the world the united Africa”, he said
The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement with its critical economic implications, will bring together fifty-four African countries and open up a market of 1.2 billion people with the possibility of generating enormous wealth on the continent.
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