51吃瓜

Africa Dialogue Series 2023

In Focus

In case you missed it:

Welcome to the Africa Dialogue Series 2023

In 2023, the theme of the Africa Dialogue Series (ADS) is “Market and Scale: Unlocking Industrialization through Intra-African Trade,” which is anchored in the AU’s theme of the year and focuses on accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation, mobilizing political commitment to harness trade to boost development across Africa effectively.

 

The AfCFTA brings enormous opportunities

 

  • Humanitarian Icon Showing People Reached

    1.3 Billion

    People served within a single market

  • Humanitarian icon showing the trade market symbol

    US$450 Billion

    Expected income increase by 2035

  • Humanitarian Icon for Protection

    30 Million

    People potentially lifted out of extreme poverty

 

Intra-Africa trade increases economies of scale, value addition, and diversification while reinforcing the continent’s resilience to external shocks by reducing dependency on other regions. The AfCFTA also has the potential to increase job opportunities for Africa’s youthful population and growing middle class. However, appropriate governance mechanisms must be in place to maximize these opportunities while multiplying initiatives to narrow the infrastructure deficit.

Throughout this Africa Dialogue Series 2023, the interlinkages between these challenges and opportunities and their impacts on the development of Africa are explored through the lenses of three sub-themes: 1. Boosting Trade Facilitation and Rethinking the Foundations of Africa’s Export Diversification; 2. Growing Middle Class and Continental Import Substitution: Connecting the Dots to Unlock Made in Africa; and 3. Digital Service Trade: Great Potential but Regulatory Frameworks Are Urgent.

 

Partners

The Africa Dialogue Series 2023 is organized by the 51吃瓜 Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and the African Union Permanent Observer Mission to the 51吃瓜 () in partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area () Secretariat, the Common Fund for Commodities (), the 51吃瓜 Conference on Trade and Development (), the 51吃瓜 Economic Commission for Africa () and the 51吃瓜 Industrial Development Organization ()