UK Trade Minister Meets with AfCFTA Secretary General to Boost Trade Ties

UK Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston met with Wamkele Mene, the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in London on Monday to discuss strengthening trade ties between the UK and Africa. The meeting aimed to explore ways to boost economic cooperation and increase trade opportunities between the UK and African countries that are part of the AfCFTA.

During the discussions, Huddleston and Mene focused on identifying potential areas of collaboration to support the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement and facilitate increased trade and investment flows between the UK and Africa. They also discussed the potential for the UK to provide assistance in actualizing the AfCFTA vision of enhancing intra-African trade, creating jobs, reducing poverty, and driving manufacturing and industrialization across the continent.

Why this matters: The meeting between Huddleston and Mene represents an important step in the UK's efforts to deepen its trade and investment relationships with African nations in the post-Brexit era. The AfCFTA, which aims to create the world's largest free trade area, presents significant opportunities for UK businesses to engage with the rapidly growing African market.

The talks also covered opportunities for UK businesses to invest in key sectors such as agro-processing, commercial services, and digital solutions, with a focus on promoting innovation and inclusive growth. "The AfCFTA has the potential to drive economic growth and development across Africa, and the UK is committed to supporting its implementation," Huddleston said following the meeting.

The meeting between Huddleston and Mene comes as part of the UK's broader strategy to strengthen its economic partnerships with African countries in the wake of its exit from the European Union. With the AfCFTA expected to boost intra-African trade by over 50% and create a market of 1.3 billion people, the UK sees significant potential in expanding its trade and investment ties with the continent.

Key Takeaways

• UK Trade Minister met AfCFTA Secretary General to discuss strengthening UK-Africa trade ties.
• Discussions focused on collaboration to support AfCFTA implementation and boost trade/investment.
• UK aims to deepen trade and investment relationships with African nations post-Brexit.
• AfCFTA presents opportunities for UK businesses to engage with Africa's growing market.
• UK committed to supporting AfCFTA's potential to drive economic growth and development in Africa.