Category: Africa
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AfCFTA Secretary-General pushes for 1st meeting of Trade Councils before take-off
The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, has tasked the diplomatic community from Africa Member States based in Accra to ensure their various trade councils assemble in Accra before the end of November to finalize all deliberations needed for the smooth take off of the AfCFTA in January 2021.…
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AfCFTA to commence on January 1, 2021 as planned – Secretary-General
Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), says the continental trade regime will take off as planned on January 1, 2021. He said the AfCFTA Secretariat was targeting January 2021 for the commencement of the implementation of the free trade agreement following its postponement due to the outbreak of the…
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We need a people-centered and sustainable recovery post COVID – BoG Governor
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, who chairs the Board of Governors of the IMF and the World Bank, Dr. Ernest Addison, has urged colleague Governors globally to ensure the speedy formulation and implementation of policies to protect the gains made prior to the Coronavirus crisis. In a virtual address to Governors at the…
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Prioritize debt sustainability and efficient public spending – World Bank to Ghana
The World Banks’ Chief Economist for Africa, Albert Zeufack, has reiterated calls on Ghana and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to prioritize the implementation of short-term policies to help reconstitute their respective fiscal spaces, following the losses made as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to its latest Africa Pulse report dubbed Charting the…
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World Bank predicts COVID-19 induced economic downturn in Sub-Saharan Africa
Driven by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 global pandemic, growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to fall to -3.3 percent in 2020, pushing the region into its first recession in 25 years, according to the latest regional economic analysis Africa’s Pulse: Charting the Road to Recovery. The pandemic could also drive up to 40…
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Afrocacy elated over commissioning of AfCFTA Secretariat building
A Pan African social movement, Afrocacy, has lauded the “successful commissioning” of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat building. The ceremony, which took place, Monday, August 17, is purposed to administer the free trade agreement for creating a single market across 55 countries with a combined population of 1.2 billion and a total…
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AfCFTA Secretary-General pledges to empower women as part of vision
The Secretary-General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, Wamkele Mene, has said part of his vision for the implementation of the Africa trade agreement is the empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups in Africa. He says there must be a conducive atmosphere for women in trade, young Africans and Small and Medium Enterprises…
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Akufo-Addo to hand over AfCFTA building to AU Commission today
President Nana Akufo-Addo will today, Monday, August 17, 2020, commission and hand over the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat Building to the African Union Commission (AUC) in Accra. The Secretariat will administer the free trade agreement for creating a single market across 55 countries with a combined population of 1.2 billion and a…
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Reuters poll suggests cocoa prices may drop by 10% due to COVID-19
A Reuters poll of London cocoa futures forecast cocoa would cost 10% less at the end of the year, because of rising production and a hit to demand from the coronavirus crisis. But chocolate bars will not necessarily get cheaper partly because the price of cocoa is only one ingredient in the mix that makes…
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African leaders urged to ensure AfCFTA implementation in 2021 1st quarter
African countries that have ratified the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), have been challenged to take advantage of the next commencement date for the implementation of the AfCFTA, and ensure its implementation. This follows the postponement of the commencement of the implementation from July this year to the first quarter of 2021, due to…