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African Union

PAPSS COWRY Lagos 2025: Africa stakes its claim on the future of payments
9-Dec-2025 Technext
Since its public debut in January 2022, PAPSS has matured rapidly, now connecting 19 countries, 160 commercial banks, and 15 national switches, allowing cross-border transactions to clear in local currencies within a maximum of 120 seconds.
New white elephants in Africa?
19-Aug-2025 bilaterals.org
The third summit on financing African infrastructure development is set to take place in Luanda from 28 to 31 October 2025. It aims to mobilise capital from Africa and elsewhere to strengthen the corridor strategy and boost investment in infrastructure to increase trade within the AfCFTA.
Nigeria at risk as US threatens extra 10% tariff on BRICS nations, slams 25% on Japan, S’Korea
8-Jul-2025 The Guardian
United States President, Donald Trump, has warned that countries supporting BRICS policies that clash with U.S. interests will face an additional 10 per cent tariff.
AfCFTA at the heart of Africa-EU trade vision
3-Jun-2025 B&FT online
The AfCFTA took center stage at the 3rd African Union-European Union Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, as ministers from both blocs framed the landmark trade pact as the cornerstone of their joint strategy to drive investment, deepen value chains and create jobs—especially for youth and women.
Trade deception returns in Pan-Africanist guise
19-Apr-2024 Inter Press Service
The World Bank has exaggerated probable gains from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote partial and uneven trade liberalisation that is unlikely to enhance development on the continent.
Single Africa market under threat — former minister questions AfCFTA relevance
21-Mar-2024 Graphic Business
AN economist and former Deputy Finance Minister, Kwaku Kwarteng, has revived the debate on how realistic it is to have a single market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
AfCFTA fails to boost Africa’s global trade share beyond 3% as countries trade more outside the continent
4-Mar-2024 Business Insider Africa
Africa’s global trade participation still stands at less than 3%, largely driven by merchandise trade in 2023, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) report on the assessment of progress on regional integration in Africa has said.
Operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area launched
1-Mar-2024 African Union
The 12th Extraordinary summit of the African Union which was held in Niamey on the 7th of July 2019 was a momentous occasion for Africa, as it saw the successful launching of the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The AfCFTA’s digital `trade rules are not fit for Africa
29-Feb-2024 AfronomicsLaw
African heads of state are slated to meet this weekend for the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union and they could be prompted to make an unforced error that could weigh heavily in the continent’s plans to promote digital industrialization and the bridging of the digital divide.
Can Africa’s new free trade treaty boost business on the continent?
19-Feb-2024 Aljazeera
African leaders will this weekend gather in Addis Ababa for the annual summit of the African Union (AU) to discuss key business issues, including plans to make Africa a global economic powerhouse.
Battle for biodiversity: AfCFTA’s Intellectual Property Protocol unveiled
19-Feb-2024 Foodtank
The African Union is finalizing the draft protocol on intellectual property rights to the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
AfCFTA secretariat set to establish protocol on digital trade this month, says Wamkele Mene
27-Jan-2024 Asaase Radio
The secretary general of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, has said the secretariat is set to establish a protocol on digital trade this month.
Delay on tariff offers to affect AfCFTA implementation
26-Jan-2024 The Citizen
Full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could be delayed further due to the failure of some countries to act decisively on its key pillars.
Three years after AfCFTA ratification: should Africans still rely on it?
26-Jan-2024 Modern Diplomacy
The concept of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was formed during the 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Head of the States and Government of African Union (AU) in January 2012, on the theme “Boosting Intra-African trade”, which adopted the decision to establish a free trade area.
24 more African countries join AfCFTA pilot initiative – Report
17-Jan-2024 Punch
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement received a significant boost as twenty-four more countries join the Guided Trade Initiative, moving the continent closer to fully integrating into a single market.
Africa Collective in partnership with the AfCFTA secretariat to convene key African & global decision makers in Davos during annual luncheon
11-Jan-2024 Business Insider Africa
Following a successful inaugural Luncheon in 2023, Africa Collective in partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat will once again be organizing its annual Closing & Outlook Luncheon in Davos on 18 January 2024 from 12:30 noon to 2:30 pm, during the time of the World Economic Forum.
Ethiopia cautious over potential revenue losses under AfCFTA
10-Jan-2024 The Reporter
Ethiopia’s trade negotiators are taking cautious steps to minimize revenue losses from the impending full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The potential impact of AfCFTA on social security and inclusive development
10-Jan-2024 Africa Forbes
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been touted as the key to unlocking the continent’s economic fortunes. Yet, in a continent that grapples with extreme poverty and inequality, what does this tangibly mean?
Algeria joins Guided Trade Initiative to boost pan-Africa trade
19-Dec-2023 Xinhua
Algeria’s Minister of Trade and Export Promotion Tayeb Zitouni declared on Saturday his country’s accession to the guided trade initiative as part of its effective implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
30 countries to begin trading under AfCFTA next year - Senior Advisor
28-Nov-2023 Ghanaweb
Thirty countries in Africa will begin trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) next year as part of measures to implement the Af­CFTA agreement, senior advisor to the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Peter Joy Serwornoo, has stated.