Africa Prosperity Dialogues provide platform to drive AfCFTA objectives – President Akufo-Addo

The Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) have provided a unique platform, dedicated to mobilising Africa’s energetic private sector to own and drive the fulfilment of the promises that the Africa African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who made the point when he delivered the keynote address at the opening of the 2024 APD held at Peduase Lodge on Thursday, January 25, 2024, therefore commended the organizers of the dialogues for the game-changing discussions that have characterized the annual event.

The three-day event is being organized by the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), a private not-for-profit organization, in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat. The discussions focus on how to create concrete measures which will lead to Africans achieving prosperity for the continent.

Five African heads of state and another from the Caribbean, as well as several top business and thought leaders from across the African continent and the diaspora are participating in the second edition of the dialogues.

Theme
Touching on the theme for the 2024 APD, “Delivering Prosperity in Africa: Produce. Value. Trade”, the President said it “speaks directly to what we have to do if we are to make the AfCFTA meaningful.“

Industrialization
President Akufo-Addo stressed the need for Africa to accelerate efforts at industrialization to drive intra-continental trade. “Without the capacity to industrialise, add value to our raw materials, and invest to build the social, digital, economic and physical infrastructures that will connect our peoples and businesses to customers across Africa, intra-Africa trade would remain at the negligible lows that it has always been., “ he observed.

Opportunities
President Akufo-Addo said by fostering intra-African trade, the AfCFTA is going to ensure that it continues to create opportunities for businesses to expand beyond their borders, driving economic growth and creating a more integrated and interconnected continent. “To unlock the full potential of trade for prosperity, let us prioritise the development of efficient transportation and logistics infrastructure, streamline trade processes, and embrace digital technologies that facilitate cross-border transactions, without the need to depend on outside currencies,” he urged.