AfCFTA and Canada explore expanded cooperation to boost digital trade across Africa
Date: 2026-05-07
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Secretariat, H.E. Wamkele Mene, has held discussions with Canada’s Secretary of
State for International Development, Hon. Randeep Sarai, focusing on
strengthening Africa–Canada cooperation with a particular emphasis on digital
trade.
The
engagement examined how the AfCFTA framework can deepen economic relations
between Africa and Canada while unlocking opportunities in emerging digital
markets.
A
central focus of the discussions was the expansion of digital trade as a key
driver of Africa’s economic transformation. Both sides highlighted the growing
importance of digital platforms, cross-border e-commerce, fintech innovation,
and data-driven services in enabling seamless trade across African markets and
beyond.
The
AfCFTA Secretariat underscored that digital trade is becoming a critical pillar
for continental integration, offering new opportunities for businesses,
especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to access wider markets and
participate in global value chains.
The
talks also reflected on the need to improve investor confidence by highlighting
Africa’s expanding digital economy, increasing internet penetration, and
ongoing regulatory reforms under the AfCFTA digital trade protocols.
Both
parties stressed the importance of inclusive participation in the digital
economy, particularly the role of private capital, MSMEs, women, and youth in
driving innovation and scaling digital solutions across sectors.
The
meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment to building mutually beneficial
partnerships that support Africa’s digital transformation agenda and position
digital trade as a key engine of sustainable economic growth and
industrialisation under the AfCFTA.
