AfCFTA: Stakeholders urged to implement civil society inputs

The importance of civil society to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been underscored, with a call for more action beyond talks.

Speaking at a side event of the 20^th anniversary of the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union in Accra themed “Exploring the Role of Civil Society to Accelerate the Implementation of AfCFTA, the Executive Director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), Nana Asantewaa Afadzinu, asserted that the success of the AfCFTA would heavily depend on the contribution of the African people.

According to her, the exclusion of African people in the implementation of the AfCFTA poses a significant challenge to its success, and it is for this reason that civil society organisations such as WACSI are advocating for the incorporation of the people element in the implementation of the AfCFTA programme.

“Civil society plays a very critical role, and we are looking at advocating for inclusive policies and representing the interests of marginalised groups. We try to create awareness, strengthen capacity, and mobilise citizens, and this is important for them to participate in the AfCFTA implementation process,” Nana Afadzinu said.

“Even more importantly, we want to ensure that the voices of local communities are heard and considered in the implementation strategies,” she added.

Dr. Fareed Kwesi Arthur, National Coordinator of the AfCFTA, who was the keynote speaker at the event, stressed the vital role of civil society in the implementation of the AfCFTA, considering the various issues they interface with, including human rights, social justice, health, education, the environment, democracy, and participatory governance.

He, however, argued that, till date, the role of civil society has been more reactive than proative, explaining that “the engagement of civil society in shaping negotiations has been very marginal, and this needs to change.”

He said that the AfCFTA is more than just another regional trade agreement, adding that it would not just change Africa but have a profound impact on the dynamics of global economies and trade relations.

The National AfCFTA Coordinator further outlined ways in which civil society can support the AfCFTA Secretariat in realising the Secretariat’s objectives.

“This is a good reason for civil society to get actively involved in supporting the implementation of AfCFTA by monitoring the implementation process and advocating for the removal of all barriers that may negatively affect certain sectors of society. By ensuring that the rules and regulations of AfCFTA are applied fairly and transparently and that they do not disadvantage certain countries or groups, they will also be contributing to the African integration agenda.

“Civil society can also support the implementation of AfCFTA by promoting regional infrastructural development and advocating for governments and businesses to invest in logistics.”

“Furthermore, they can play a vital role in promoting gender equality and empowering women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs face many barriers when it comes to trade, including access to financing, information technology, and markets.”

He acknowledged civil society organisations that have begun playing noticeable roles in the AfCFTA process since its rollout, including the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), the University for Professional Studies Accra (UPSA), CUTS Ghana, TRALAC, the AfCFTA Policy Network, and the WASCI itself.

Dr. Arthur also hinted at the possibility of establishing an advocacy unit of the AfCFTA to coordinate the activities of various civil society organisations in Africa supporting the work of the AfCFTA.

For his part, a representative from the ECOSOCC, Bright Sefah, said the African Union, like many international institutions, has legal instruments, but implementation remains a challenge, requiring the support of civil society.

“The African Union does not lack legal instruments. As a matter of fact, I do not believe that there is any international or diplomatic institution that has more legal instruments than the African Union. The challenge, however, is implementation. We continuously struggle to implement, and I think this is where the importance of civil society comes in.”

“I do believe one of the main keys to the implementation of the AfCFTA lies with our civil society organisations,” Sefah furthered.

He called on African governments to demonstrate genuine commitment to AfCFTA by encouraging the free movement of their citizens across borders while dispelling fears of any breach of peace and security.