The opening ceremony of the first regional conference of the AfCFTA

The Chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority participated in the opening ceremony of the first conference on the challenges and opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The event was held under the high patronage of His Excellency Mr. Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Prime Minister of Djibouti.

As one of the key speakers of the event, the Chairman emphasized Africa’s unique position as a global transport and logistics hub, serving as a natural bridge connecting Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
With a population of nearly 1,7 billion, and a GDP of about $3.4 trillion, the African Continental Free Area is the largest single market in the world: Africa population will reach nearly 2,5 billion by 2050.The GDP’s growth of the African Continent is the double of the population growth.

The Chairman explained that Africa’s potential lies in the significant agricultural and natural resources, including 60% of the world’s arable land, abundant freshwater reserves such as the Nile and Congo rivers, and a wealth of minerals and energy resources.

However, He reminded that intra-African trade remains critically low at 17%, compared to 60% in Europe and 70% in Asia.
This gap is caused by limited deep-sea ports and poor surface infrastructures. It also has contributed to a trade deficit of $84.78 billion, and insufficient capacity to handle larger vessels, which restricts Africa’s maritime trade potential.

To address these challenges, the Chairman advocated for strengthening human capital through education and skills development, expanding deep-sea port infrastructure, and digitizing seaports, airports, and customs documentation and procedures.

He also called attention to the importance of upgrading railways, highways, and ports while harmonizing trade policies and removing trade barriers in Africa. 

These efforts, he explained, are essential to unlocking the vast potential of intra-African trade and establishing the continent as a significant player in the global economy.