DPFZA Chairman receives the Minister of Commerce and Tourism, H.E. Mohamed Warsama Dirieh, and a delegation from the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
On April 4th, the Chairman received the Minister of Commerce and Tourism, H.E. Mohamed Warsama Dirieh, alongside a delegation from the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The African Continental Free Trade Area is a landmark agreement ratified by Djibouti in February 2019. It is designed to create a single market for goods and services across the African continent, facilitating increased trade among member states and driving economic growth.
The purpose of today's meeting was to extend an invitation to the Chairman for the upcoming high-level forum organized by AfCFTA, which will convene numerous officials to discuss pivotal issues impacting trade and economic development across Africa.
During the productive discussions, the Chairman underscored the transformative potential of key infrastructure projects, particularly highlighting the Trans-African Railway initiative. This ambitious project aims to establish a land bridge connecting the East to the West of the continent, drastically reducing the cargos travel time to a remarkable 72 hours, thus enhancing connectivity and trade efficiency.
Furthermore, the Chairman shed light on another groundbreaking concept, the Sea-Air Cargo integration, which epitomizes the seamless flow of goods across borders. This innovative approach combines maritime and air transport to create a swift and reliable cargo delivery system, serving 24 cities across 21 countries.
The delegation is scheduled to visit the state-of-the-art ports of Djibouti, including SGTD, DMP, and DIFTZ, tomorrow. This visit aims to provide first-hand insight into the world-class facilities and infrastructure that underpin Djibouti's status as a key maritime and logistics hub in the region.
The Chairman reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to advancing trade facilitation initiatives that will contribute to the prosperity and economic development of Djibouti and the wider African continent.