The Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025, organized by the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), focuses on tackling infrastructure bottlenecks hindering efficient trade and logistics.
Themed “Delivering Africa’s Single Market through Infrastructure: Invest. Connect. Integrate, this year’s event aims to explore actionable solutions to advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The dialogues will be held from January 30 to February 1, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana.
According to Rui Pedro Afonso Livramento, Chief of Staff at the AfCFTA Secretariat, infrastructure deficiencies remain a significant barrier despite progress made under the AfCFTA.
“Intra-African trade costs currently range between 30 to 40%, largely due to inefficient infrastructure,” he said.
To address this, the AfCFTA Secretariat is advocating for trade aggregators to integrate Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) into continental value chains, with countries such as Ghana, Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa leading the charge.
The dialogues will bring together over 3,000 participants from 46 countries, including African heads of state, institutional leaders, industry players, and entrepreneurs, to drive policy reforms and foster economic transformation.
Sidig Faroug El Toum, CEO of the APN Secretariat, praised Ghana’s leadership in pan-Africanism and emphasized the event’s potential to yield transformative agreements.
“We hope this platform will lead to significant commitments that bring valuable resources to Ghana and other African nations,” he said.
Highlighting the event’s structure, Stephanie Diatta, Chief of Partnerships and International Relations at the APN Secretariat, said the dialogues will feature high-level discussions, fireside chats, and expert presentations focused on infrastructure development.
“This comprehensive approach will address cross-sectoral challenges and bridge the gap between policy and implementation,” she added.
The event will be divided into two pillars, emphasizing collaboration between public and private sectors to overcome information asymmetries and promote effective partnerships.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025, which focus on infrastructure, investment, and digital innovation, aim to advance the implementation of AfCFTA and accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.
This year’s event promises to not only spotlight solutions to Africa’s infrastructure challenges but also position the continent for stronger intra-African trade and global competitiveness.
Source: onlinetimesgh.com