During the Business Forum to boost CFTA virtually held today, President Kagame delivered a message to African countries, telling that doing more business with each other will be mutually beneficial for our countries. Read the Speech below:
I thank the African Union Commission, for organising this Business Forum, which has become a tradition with each Summit.
Two years ago, we signed a historic agreement, and together wrote a new chapter in the story of African integration.
The Covid pandemic has delayed the start of trading, but we must stay on course.
This collaborative action is now more important than ever, to rebuild our economies and strengthen Africa’s resilience to future shocks.
So let’s get on with it.
Doing more business with each other will be mutually beneficial for our countries, and it will also help us build the capacity to compete internationally.
In Africa, we will start trading amongst ourselves in a few weeks.
We need the private sector to be fully involved.
That means all of you, gathered here with us today.
We have to work closely together, to ensure the right frameworks are in place for the success of this process.
In addition, we must continue to communicate the benefits of free African trade to our citizens, especially young people, and mobilise them to remain engaged for the next phases of African integration.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome Wamkele Mene, our new
Secretary-General of the CFTA Secretariat.
We look forward to working with you to make this initiative a success.
I conclude by congratulating His Excellency, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger. He has championed free trade on our continent, and kept us on track. The award he has received today is richly deserved.
I thank you all very much, and wish you a fruitful forum. (End)