15 September, Cairo, Egypt – H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, delivered the opening address at the 4th AfCFTA Ministerial Retreat of the Council of Ministers. He noted that the retreat comes at a decisive stage for the AfCFTA, with negotiations giving way to early implementation against a backdrop of rising protectionism, tariff shocks and shifting supply chains.

The Secretary-General called on Ministers to provide the necessary political guidance to finalise the outstanding Rules of Origin, particularly in the automotive and textiles sectors, by the October 2025 deadline set by Heads of State and Government. He also urged the acceleration of commitments in trade in services, highlighting that 25 schedules have now been adopted across five priority sectors, with regulatory frameworks in communications and financial services ready for ministerial adoption.

H.E. Mene underscored the importance of building Africa’s own value chain systems to drive industrialisation and resilience, citing initiatives such as the Women and Youth in Fisheries Programme which aims to create over 242,000 jobs and generate USD 100 million in intra-African fish trade by 2029. He further highlighted preparations for Phase II negotiations, and upcoming initiatives including the AfCFTA Forum and Festival on Tourism, Cultural and Creative Industries, to be held in Accra this November under the theme “Creatives Connect Afrika”.

In concluding, he stressed that the retreat is not only about completing negotiations but about safeguarding Africa’s economic future, noting that with unity of purpose and determination, the AfCFTA can be both a shield against external shocks and a vehicle for inclusive prosperity.