AfCFTA Secretariat Convenes Private Sector Hearings and PAPSS Briefing on the Margins of G20 Summit
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat is making significant strides in advancing Africa’s economic integration. On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Secretariat convened the Africa Private Sector Hearings (APSH) Pilot Session and a High-Level Briefing on the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).
These events demonstrate Africa’s commitment to building transparent, predictable, and efficient systems supporting trade, investment, and payment connectivity. The APSH provides a platform for African enterprises to share insights on trade facilitation challenges and market expansion opportunities, while the PAPSS Briefing discusses the system’s role in efficient cross-border payments.
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, emphasized Africa’s unified approach to strengthening the foundations of the AfCFTA. He noted that the APSH and PAPSS engagements demonstrate Africa’s commitment to building systems that support trade, investment, and payment connectivity across the continent.
The APSH Pilot Session, organized in collaboration with the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), provides a structured avenue for African enterprises to present perspectives on trade facilitation challenges, logistics constraints, and market expansion opportunities. Mr. Kebour Ghenna, Executive Director of PACCI, emphasized the importance of private sector participation in the success of the AfCFTA.
The High-Level Briefing on PAPSS, convened jointly with Afreximbank, brings together key stakeholders from South Africa’s financial sector to discuss the role of PAPSS as a continental mechanism for efficient and secure cross-border payments. Mr. Mike Ogbalu III, CEO of PAPSS, underscored the system’s relevance to Africa’s integration priorities.
The outcomes of these sessions will inform the AfCFTA’s 2026 implementation program, driving Africa’s integration agenda forward. The AfCFTA aims to increase intra-African trade by 52.3% through tariff liberalization and trade facilitation measures, covering a market of over 1.3 billion people.
The AfCFTA Secretariat’s efforts are a significant step towards enhancing Africa’s participation in regional and global value chains. By strengthening trade governance, improving payment connectivity, and promoting private sector participation, the AfCFTA is poised to drive economic growth and development across the continent.
