Igniting Africa's Economic Engine: Insights from the Lusaka Workshop on Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation

Igniting Africa's Economic Engine: Insights from the Lusaka Workshop on Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation

• Blog
• September 21, 2025

By Ambassador Salim Kim Walusimbi

In the heart of Lusaka, Zambia, from September 15 to 17, 2025, a gathering of African trade luminaries convened under the banner of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to chart the course for one of the continent's boldest ventures: the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This Regional Workshop, themed "Towards an Accelerated Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement in Africa," brought together approximately 45 to 50 stakeholders from governments, private sectors, and development partners across Eastern and Southern Africa. As the dust settles on these pivotal discussions, the resounding message is clear: AfCFTA is not just a trade pact—it's a blueprint for lifting 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and injecting $450 billion into the continent's economy by 2035.

But realizing this vision demands more than ambition; it requires accelerated, inclusive action. Drawing from the workshop's opening salvos, this post unpacks the transformative insights shared, Zambia's trailblazing role, and the actionable priorities to propel One Africa One Market forward. 

A Vision Rooted in Agenda 2063: Zambia's Call to Inclusive Action

Zambia's Ministry of Commerce, Trade & Industry set a commanding tone for the workshop, with Acting Permanent Secretary Ms. Angelina Chanda Mukuka underscoring AfCFTA's alignment with Africa's long-term aspirations. "The AfCFTA represents an ambitious integration initiative under Africa’s Agenda 2063," she declared. "Its full implementation could lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty and boost the continent’s income by US$450 billion by 2035. But this requires deliberate policies, strong institutions, private sector participation, and the inclusion of women, youth, and SMEs."

Ms. Mukuka's words were no abstract rhetoric; they echoed Zambia's tangible strides. The country has gazetted provisional tariff concessions, paving the way for duty-free access across borders. Value-chain initiatives like the Zambia-Zimbabwe Agro-Industrial Park and the Zambia-DRC Electric Vehicle project are forging regional synergies in agriculture and green manufacturing. Since 2021, these efforts have attracted $12.2 billion in investments, spawning over 68,000 jobs—a testament to how targeted policies can catalyze growth. As host nation, Zambia exemplified the workshop's ethos: turning AfCFTA from concept to catalyst for shared prosperity.

Unity in Diversity: The Imperative of Collaborative Integration

Echoing this momentum, UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia, Ms. Beatrice Mutali, called for a collective assault on silos. "Governments, private sector, and partners must act together for #AfCFTA success," she emphasized. "No country can do it alone; the spirit of integration is our strength. Build skills, expand infrastructure, reduce trade barriers, and unlock Africa’s true potential under #OneAfricaOneMarket."Her plea resonated deeply in a continent where intra-African trade lingers at just 18% of total commerce, hamstrung by fragmented logistics and non-tariff barriers. The workshop, co-convened by ECA's Subregional Offices for Eastern and Southern Africa, amplified this by fostering cross-country dialogues—participants from Zambia, Comoros, and beyond shared blueprints for harmonized standards and SME financing. In an era of global disruptions, such partnerships aren't optional; they are the sinew binding Africa's 1.4 billion-strong market.

Shifting Gears: From Preferential Perks to Regional Resilience

Mr. Andrew Mold, of ECA Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, injected a strategic pivot into the fray. "It’s time for African firms to shift from priming high-income markets under preferential schemes to regional trade under the AfCFTA," he asserted. "This will be the most effective way to help regional economies become more competitive."Mold's insight cuts to the core of Africa's trade paradox: over-reliance on external markets has stunted local value chains, leaving SMEs—80% of the continent's employment engine—starved of scale. By redirecting focus inward, AfCFTA can nurture competitive industries, from Ethiopian textiles to Kenyan fintech, fostering the resilience needed for global bargaining power. The workshop's sessions on rules of origin and digital trade protocols offered practical tools to make this shift seamless, ensuring firms don't just survive but thrive in a unified marketplace.

Complementing this, Ms. Eunice G. Kamwendo, Director of ECA's Subregional Office for Southern Africa, elevated the discourse to its aspirational heights. "The AfCFTA is not merely a trade agreement—it is a transformative instrument to drive industrialization, job creation & shared prosperity across Africa," she stated. "Accelerated implementation is not about speed alone; it is about depth, inclusivity & sustainability."Kamwendo's framing reframes AfCFTA as a holistic engine for the Africa We Want—one that prioritizes green growth and equitable wealth distribution amid climate vulnerabilities.

Charting the Path: Three Pillars for Accelerated Progress

The workshop distilled its deliberations into three interlocking priorities, each a call to arms for stakeholders:

1. Remove Non-Tariff Barriers & Harmonize Standards: Streamline customs via digital single windows and mutual recognition agreements, slashing clearance times by up to 50% and unlocking $10 billion in annual trade gains.
2. Scale Up Support for Businesses in Regional Value Chains: Bolster SMEs through concessional financing and skills hubs, targeting women- and youth-led enterprises that could add 30 million jobs by 2030.
3. Forge Strong Partnerships in Infrastructure, Logistics & Innovation: Invest in corridors like the Lobito Atlantic Railway and AfCFTA's Digital Trade Protocol to bridge the $100 billion infrastructure deficit, fueling innovation from Lusaka to Nairobi.

These pillars, hashed out in breakout sessions, underscore the workshop's commitment to knowledge sharing and capacity building—ensuring AfCFTA's benefits ripple to every corner of the continent.

A Unified Horizon: Towards Jobs, Empowerment, and Resilience

As the Lusaka workshop concludes, its clarion call endures: Accelerated AfCFTA implementation is the forge for Africa's renaissance, empowering youth and women, igniting industrialization, and erecting resilient economies. "Together, we can ensure AfCFTA delivers industrialization, jobs, and prosperity across Africa," Ms. Kamwendo aptly concluded. The time is ripe to invest in the inclusive policies that turn trade into transformation. The continent's potential is boundless; let us harness it, not in isolation, but in unbreakable solidarity. The #OneAfricaOneMarket awaits; the time to build it is now.

#AfricaWeWant #Trade #RegionalIntegration #SMEs #Industrialization #WomenInTrade #Youth