Djibouti City, Republic of Djibouti | 22 April 2025– On the margins of the Regional Conference on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), co-convened by the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Government of the Republic of Djibouti, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, met with H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti.

During the meeting, H.E. Mene expressed his appreciation for Djibouti’s strategic role as a major logistics hub in the region and acknowledged the important leadership the country can play in advancing the objectives of the AfCFTA.

H.E. Mene also briefed the President on the current status of AfCFTA implementation, noting that 49 countries have ratified the Agreement along with its protocols.

President Guelleh congratulated the Secretary-General for the progress achieved and emphasised the importance of facilitating the free movement of people across the Continent as a key component of Africa’s integration agenda.