Secretary General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene has urged African countries to accelerate the development of a strong continental domestic market, warning that growing global restrictions and geopolitical tensions continue to expose Africa’s economic vulnerabilities.
Answering questions from journalists after Biashara Africa 2026, Mene said Africa must reduce its overreliance on external markets and focus on building a self-sufficient continental economy driven by intra-African trade.
“There is no reason why our continent cannot be economically self-sufficient,” Mene said. “We have enough resources and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion in consumer and business spending.”
He said recent global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, demonstrated the importance of strengthening Africa’s domestic market while maintaining strategic international partnerships.
“The definition of Africa’s economy must be the 55 countries and the domestic markets that we have,” he added.
Mene also addressed concerns about Africa’s preparedness to handle future public health emergencies, expressing confidence in the capabilities of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Referring to the successful management of a recent health crisis ahead of last year’s Biashara Africa summit in Ghana, he said the African Union now possesses the technical capacity and institutional readiness to contain continental epidemics and pandemics.
“I believe the African Union now has the capacity, through the Africa CDC, to contain any public health crisis that is continental,” Mene stated.
On climate change and energy security, Mene said Africa was pursuing a balanced strategy focused on industrial development alongside environmental sustainability.
He highlighted the African Union’s Africa Green Industrialization Initiative, which aims to expand renewable energy investment across the continent. According to Mene, African financial institutions and development partners have committed to unlocking $100 billion in financing for green industrialization, renewable energy, and climate-related projects.
The commitment was signed during the Africa Climate Summit held in Addis Ababa last year.
Mene noted that although Africa contributes less than four percent of global emissions, the continent continues to suffer disproportionately from climate-related disasters, including droughts and floods in regions such as the Sahel.
He also pointed to increasing private-sector interest in Africa’s renewable energy sector, describing it as a critical partnership for the continent’s future energy security.
Looking ahead, Mene announced that African trade ministers will meet in June to elect Nigeria as the incoming chair of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers.
The ministers are also expected to review progress on implementation of the trade agreement and develop an action plan to achieve a major continental target: eliminating duties on all African products by 2030.
“By 2030, Africa must trade all products at zero duty,” Mene said, describing the goal as a key directive adopted during the African Union summit earlier this year.
