Full AfCFTA implementation could transform Africa, says MTN Ghana chairman | Ghanaguardian. com
MTN Ghana Board Chairman Dr Ishmael Yamson says the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could unlock Africa’s economic potential and fundamentally reshape the continent’s future. Speaking on episode eight of The Y'ello Chair, MTN’s vodcast platform featuring African leaders and changemakers discussing issues that will influence the continent’s development, Dr
MTN Ghana Board Chairman Dr Ishmael Yamson says the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could unlock Africa’s economic potential and fundamentally reshape the continent’s future. Speaking on episode eight of The Y’ello Chair, MTN’s vodcast platform featuring African leaders and changemakers discussing issues that will influence the continent’s development, Dr Yamson said African countries must now move beyond signing agreements and focus on delivering them in practice. “I think there is a realisation growing in Africa that we cannot continue to do the same things and expect different outcomes. Certain things must fundamentally change,” he said. Dr Yamson described AfCFTA as a significant milestone, but warned that its success would depend on member states showing the commitment needed to implement the agreement fully. “I think AfCFTA is a major step that Africa is taking. What we need to do is to make sure that countries are helped to share the burden and execute it fully. Because if we actually execute AfCFTA in full, Africa will be a different continent,” he stated. The agreement, he said, should not be viewed solely as a framework for increasing trade between African countries. In his view, effective implementation could also support the movement of capital, resources and people across national borders. “There will not only be the movement of capital and resources but also the movement of people. We should agree on an immigration policy similar to what the European Union has successfully implemented, making it easier for people to move, work legally and respect the laws of the countries in which they live,” he said. Dr Yamson also called for African nations to place their shared future ahead of divisions rooted in language and history. He specifically referred to the distinction between Anglophone and Francophone countries, particularly in West Africa, and said greater cooperation was essential. “We have Anglophone and Francophone countries, particularly in West Africa, but over the years we have come to understand that whether Anglophone or Francophone, we have one destiny as Africa,” he said. He argued that closer economic integration would allow countries to concentrate on their common interests, while creating larger markets that could support sustainable growth and attract investment. Dr Yamson said his long-term vision was of an Africa in which people could travel freely between countries, work legally, and benefit from governments that were run professionally. He also said corruption would need to be addressed decisively if the continent was to create more opportunities for future generations. “Africa can become a continent where Africans move freely, work legally and our countries are managed professionally. We cannot afford to fear the changes that are coming,” he said. Africa’s youthful population, he added, was one of its most valuable assets. Nearly 70 per cent of the continent’s population is under the age of 30, which he said gave Africa a major opportunity to convert its demographic profile into sustained economic growth. Realising that potential would require governments and the private sector to work together around a common objective, Dr Yamson said. “If we work together as one team chasing one goal, Africa will be a different continent. I hope we can make it,” he said.