Africa’s Economic Integration : Gov’ts, Private Sector For Workable Synergies

Four African Heads of State, two Prime Ministers, 30 ministers, over 700 Chief Executive Officers in the private sector and in general 1,800 participants up from the initial 1,500, are brainstorming in the Rwandan capital, Kigali on roles, responsibilities and workable strategies of achieving greater economic integration of the African continent.

This is within the framework of the two-day seventh edition of the largest annual conference for Africa’s private sector dubbed, Africa CEO Forum which started in Kigali on March 25, 2019.  

The different speakers during the opening ceremony had a convergence of views on the need for public, private sector partnership to attain the ambition of African economic integration.  They also all agreed that the effective putting in place of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the undertaking of enabling reforms by respective countries were the keys to economic integration.

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame in his opening speech said it was time to make the African Free Trade Area start working. This is expected to become a reality soon as 22 countries need to ratify the agreement for it to go operational; and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Rwandan Development Board, Emmanuel Hatijeka disclosed in a press conference on March 24, 2019 that 21 countries have already ratified the agreement. President Kagame said there was urgent need to focus on private sector to attain the integration stating that it was the right time for the private sector leaders to reflect on what needs to be changed and improved on their side.  He also called on governments to create enabling environments.

The Pre...