Davos 2026: AfCFTA Secretary-General engages Visa on digital trade protocol implementation
Date: 2026-01-22
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), H.E.
Wamkele Mene, has held discussions with Robert Thomson, Senior Vice President
and Global Head of Government Affairs at Visa, on advancing collaboration
around the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.
During
the meeting, H.E. Mene outlined the key pillars of the Digital Trade Protocol
and underscored Africa’s readiness to work closely with the private sector
where the Protocol’s provisions align with existing business operations and
innovation models. He highlighted the importance of partnerships that can
accelerate the practical implementation of the Protocol across the continent.
The discussions explored ways in which Visa could position itself to support selected aspects of the Digital Trade Protocol, particularly in areas such as collaboration under the AfCFTA Digital Trade and Data Policy framework (ADAPT), cross-border data sharing, and digital trade facilitation. These areas are considered critical to enabling seamless digital transactions and strengthening intra-African trade.
The
engagement reflects AfCFTA’s broader strategy of working with global private
sector actors to build inclusive, interoperable, and innovation-friendly
digital trade ecosystems that support economic integration and sustainable
growth across Africa.
