The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has called on member states to urgently renew their political commitment to regional integration, warning that internal trade barriers are holding back the continent’s economic potential in an increasingly volatile global environment.
Speaking on Tuesday to mark Africa Integration Day, which commemorates the 2019 launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Niamey, Niger, Youssouf stressed that economic unity is no longer just a long-term goal but a vital strategic necessity.
“African unity is our greatest strategic asset,” Youssouf said. “The AfCFTA is the defining economic project of our generation and our best opportunity to transform Africa’s immense potential into prosperity for all Africans.”
While the AfCFTA unites a massive market of 55 countries, more than 1.3 billion people, and a combined gross domestic product of roughly $3.4 trillion, he pointed out a glaring gap in its execution: intra-African trade currently accounts for a mere 16% to 18% of the continent’s total trade activity. He argued that Africa’s biggest economic opportunities lie within its own borders, rather than overseas.
To unlock these regional value chains, Youssouf pressed governments to eliminate lingering trade barriers, modernise cross-border infrastructure, including roads, rail, ports, and digital networks, and accelerate the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons to allow entrepreneurs, professionals, and students to move seamlessly across the continent.
“Let us move forward with unity, determination and confidence towards an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent,” Youssouf concluded, challenging member states to focus heavily on providing tangible, practical opportunities for small businesses, farmers, women, and young entrepreneurs.
–ChannelAfrica/AU–
