Bujumbura, Burundi, 3 August 2026 – The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), H.E. Wamkele Mene, commenced the Secretariat’s official mission to Burundi with a meeting with the Minister of Mineral Resources, Energy, Industry, Trade and Tourism.
The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, the Director of External Trade, the Director of Industry, the Deputy Commissioner General of the Burundi Revenue Authority, and the Chairman of the Burundi Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Secretary-General highlighted the progress made under the AfCFTA, including the growing number of trade instruments now available to businesses and ongoing collaboration with Afreximbank to strengthen regional value chains in agro-processing, develop special economic zones and advance corridor digitalisation. He also noted that intra-African trade reached USD 220 billion in 2024, representing a 12.4 per cent increase, while emphasising the need to address persistent challenges, including high trade costs, limited connectivity and infrastructure gaps.
The discussions also focused on two key AfCFTA implementation instruments: the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which enables businesses to trade and settle transactions in African currencies, and the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, which supports governments and businesses in managing the transition to the continental single market, strengthening economic resilience and improving industrial competitiveness.
The Secretary-General encouraged Burundi to identify its financing priorities and submit them for consideration under the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund. He further noted that Burundi is well positioned to advance continental trade by leveraging its experience as a member of both the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC).
The Minister reaffirmed Burundi’s commitment to implementing the AfCFTA and underscored the country’s intention to leverage its Chairmanship of the African Union to accelerate implementation efforts. He highlighted logistics and transport, supported by energy and mining, as national priorities, alongside ongoing macroeconomic and policy reforms aimed at strengthening the business and investment environment. The Minister also stressed the importance of diversifying export markets for tea and coffee while advancing the harmonisation of standards and compliance requirements.
The meeting concluded with agreement to establish a technical team to develop a country profile and an AfCFTA implementation roadmap, to be jointly owned by the Government of Burundi and the private sector, reinforcing a collaborative approach to advancing the implementation of the Agreement.
