Africa: Joe Attah-Mensah, outgoing regional integration champion, offers his parting shot on Africa's economic transformation

Addis Ababa, 25 July 2023 (ECA) - Africa's regional integration realized through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is imperative to the… Read more »

Africa: Bank of Tanzania, ECA, and Frontclear launch efforts to strengthen domestic market resilience

Dar es Salaam, 11 July 2023 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with Bank of Tanzania and Frontclear – an institution… Read more »

Africa: ECA partners with SADC Business Council to stimulate discussions on technology and innovation for MSMEs in Southern Africa

Cape Town, South Africa, 23 June 2023 – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Sub regional Office for Southern Africa (ECA SRO-SA) in collaboration with the SADC… Read more »

Africa: Measuring ICBT is key to monitoring intra-African trade

Lusaka, Zambia, 5 June 2023 (ECA) - Timely data collection on informal cross-border trade is critical to informing intra-African trade on the back of the implementation of the… Read more »

Africa: The ECA's Country Business Index – a tool to enhance private sector's role in AfCFTA implementation

Addis Ababa, 24 May 2023, (ECA) - Africa should accelerate the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area while creating a conducive business environment to… Read more »

Africa: LAPSSET Ministerial Council Adopts "Juba Commitments" to Fast-Track Infrastructure, Trade and Integration

Juba, 19 May 2023 (ECA) – The Government of the Republic of South Sudan has pledged to establish a coordinating structure to accelerate infrastructure… Read more »

Africa: AfCFTA Agreement provides opportunities for Eswatini to expand her intra-African trade beyond the traditional markets

Ezulwini, Eswatini, May 05, 2023 (MCIT/ ECA SRO SA) – The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade of the Kingdom of Eswatini, in collaboration with the United Nations… Read more »

Africa: ATPC Reaffirms Its Commitment To Contribute To The AU Theme Of The Year 2023 – "Acceleration Of AfCFTA Implementation"

Stephen Karingi, Director of Regional Integration and Trade Division at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), called on African countries to expedite the reform of their… Read more »

Africa: Harmonised methods for informal cross border trade data collection critical in monitoring intra-African Trade

Kampala, Uganda, 28 April 2023 (ECA) - Informal cross border trade in Africa is known to be large and an important contributor to the livelihoods of millions of Africans but there… Read more »

Africa: Namibia applauds ECA for supporting the development of the country's Draft National Trade Policy

Windhoek, Namibia, 27 March 2023 - The Namibian Government through the Ministry of Industrialization and Trade, in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the… Read more »

Africa: Private sector urged to "own and drive" Africa's continental trade agreement

Accra, 26 January 2023 (ECA) - The private sector is recognized as an indispensable stakeholder in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), especially given its… Read more »

Africa: ATEX, a boost for intra-Africa trade

Sharm El-Sheikh, 16 November 2022 (ECA) - African countries should use the innovative Africa Exchange Trade Platform (ATEX) and boost digital trade in critical commodities under… Read more »

Africa: ECA, GIZ conclude two years of fruitful partnership on AfCFTA and chart way forward

Addis Ababa, 29 June 2022 (ECA):  The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) organized… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Transport Sector to Strongly Benefit from African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is expected to increase intra-African trade in transport services by nearly 50%, according to the latest estimates by the… Read more »

Africa: How AfCFTA Can Help Solar Power Penetration in Africa

Only about 43% of Africa's population has access to electricity, a number that is half the global access rate of 87%. This is according to the 2019 World Bank World Development… Read more »

Mauritius: Mauritius Holds a Meeting to Review Its National AfCFTA Response Strategy

The government of Mauritius, with technical assistance from the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and financial support from the European Union (EU), is holding a one-day… Read more »

Africa: How the Digitalization of African Trade Will Help Realise the AfCFTA

Participants at the 2020 edition of the African Economic Conference have been told that digitalization of trade across the continent can significantly boost free trade in Africa,… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria Becomes 34th Country to Ratify AfCFTA Agreement

Addis Ababa 5 December 2020, (ECA) - Nigeria deposited its instrument of ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement on 5 December, becoming the 34th member… Read more »

Africa: African Union Approves Start of Trading Under AfCFTA On 1 January Next Year As Earlier Agreed

African leaders at a summit today have approved that trading should start on 1 January next year as scheduled on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and… Read more »

Lesotho: Tunisia and Lesotho Join Growing Number of Countries to Ratify AfCFTA One Month to Start of Trading

One month to the commencement of trading at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, two more countries have formalized their ratification of the agreement. Read more »

Africa: Africa's Customs Chiefs Commit to Implementing New Continental Covid-19 Trade Facilitation Guidelines

Africa's customs experts have given their support to the adoption of continental guidelines to facilitate free and timely flow of cross-border trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic… Read more »

Africa: ECA Launches Atex, E-Commerce Platform That Will Support Transactions When AfCFTA Starts Next Year

The Economic Commission for Africa presented an online trading platform Thursday, that will facilitate trading between buyers and suppliers when the African Continental Free Trade… Read more »

Southern Africa: African Continental Free Trade Area Could Expand Opportunities for Women, Say Atpc-SADC Webinar Panelists

- The African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-Women in Business, and the SADC Business… Read more »

Africa: Africa's Success in Mobilising Power of Its Youth Will Deliver AfCFTA Promise

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) provides a critical opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including youth-led enterprises engaged in… Read more »

Southern Africa: African Trade Policy Centre, SADC Business Council Host Webinar On Women's Participation in AfCFTA

The African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-Women in Business, and… Read more »