Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey promotes AfCFTA at Swakopmund Expo

The Foreign Minister of Ghana, Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, was seen passionately advocating for AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area), in the presence of an audience of business leaders, two African presidents and their cabinet members inclusive.

This event was the Sixth Swakopmund International Trade Expo (SWAiTEX). It took place in Swakopmund, 360km west of Windhoek, Namibia’s capital.

She said, “It is our responsibility as leaders in government, industry, finance, SMEs, startups, regulation, and civil society to harness our collective resources and capabilities towards an efficient market in trade and services, job creation, and prosperity for all Africans,”

The two African presidents in attendance were Namibia’s President Nangolo Mbumba of Namibia and President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana. President Masisi’s delegation included Slumber Tsogwane, his vice president. The Botswanan President declared, “half of my cabinet because we want to trade; we want to do serious business.”

The theme for the event was, “Efficient Connectivity and Resource Beneficiation for Sustainable Growth in Africa.”

The free trade area, comprising 55 countries, with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$3.4 trillion, connects 1.3 billion people.

The AfCFTA, with its headquarters in Ghana, promises fresh investment opportunities, immense new markets, and accelerated industrialization.

The Foreign Minister said, “We agree wholeheartedly” to South African AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene’s “The African Continental Free Trade Area is the beacon of hope for Africa’s economic resurgence.”, which she quoted.

Ms. Botchwey acknowledged that African economies were currently facing challenging headwinds; cascading impacts on cost of living, food security, debt, energy, climate crises and unemployment, and that, the transformative potential of “the AfCFTA shows that we can overcome our challenges and build resilient economies.”

She praised Namibia for joining the AfCFTA-Guided Trade Initiative alongside Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa and Tanzania, commending their commitment to meaningful intra-African trade. The Guided Trade Initiative, established in 2022, aims to initiate trade among interested parties who have met the minimum threshold for trading under the AfCFTA, testing the agreement’s capacity  and identifying areas for improvement.

Ms Botchwey who is a candidate for Commonwealth Secretary-General, has prioritized trade and investment in her vision.