KEPSA, represented by the Chair Ms Flora Mutahi, participated in the AfCFTA Business Forum 2023 held from 15^th to 19^th April 2023 in Cape Town, under the patronage of the Government of the Republic of South Africa. The Forum presented an opportunity for engagement at various levels including; Business to Business, Business to Government, and Government to Government; with the objective of enabling the private sector to unlock trade and investment opportunities to boost Intra-Africa trade.

Themed: ‘From primary inputs to value addition: Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation through the AfCFTA,’ the Forum noted that for the achievement of this goal, the private sector's role in business remained instrumental in the implementation of the AfCFTA. The new markets that shall be unlocked as a result will be intended to fully benefit the private sector and to contribute to the transformation of Africa’s economy at large.

AfCFTA Secretary General, H.E Wamkele Mene reiterated the importance of an autonomous and fully functional AfCFTA that is aligned with Africa’s development interests – a single set of rules for trade and investment on the African continent which will boost Intra-Africa trade for the realisation of this goal. A call for investors in Africa was urged by South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Ebrahim Patel who also noted to the delegates at the forum that they would get a sense of the progress made and the opportunities available for Africa.

In her remarks, Assistant Secretary General and CEO UN Global Compact, Ms Sanda Ojiambo expressed a working collaboration with the private sector leaders and a wide range of stakeholders that will help build the world and achieve AU’s Agenda 2063. She further highlighted the role of climate and energy transition and the African Business Community which is key in Africa’s development. This was emphasized with a need for a clear timeline and allocating of responsibilities for implementing crucial aspects like currency, visa access and border-crossing by Mr Samaila Zubairu, CEO of Africa Finance Corporation.

In this technological era, H.E Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa noted that businesses drive political decisions and urged women, youth and SMEs to seize the AfCFTA market opportunities to boost their business capacity, skills and access to finance and participate in regional value chains.

KEPSA chair was part of the plenary session on Value addition – Accelerating Africa’s Industrialisation through the AfCFTA. Key issues that cropped from this session included; the need to link farmers to processing facilities and market linkages, the need to have the private sector at the AfCFTA table, women and youth capacity built on value addition and the need to have a procurement platform for key products. Other plenary sessions included; Women Driving Intra-Africa Trade in Partnership with UNDP, Expanding Digital Trade and interoperable payments systems in the AfCFTA, Manufacturing and assembling automobiles under the AfCFTA, Financing AfCFTA Value-Chain Development and Doing Business in Africa: Investment Protection and facilitation under the AfCFTA.

Present at the forum was KEPSA Advisory Board Member, Ms Rita Kavashe in an event that brought together African and global business executives, strategic investors, financial institutions, investment promotion agencies, business councils, chambers of commerce, multinational corporations, African women and youth business organisations as well as Heads of States and Government.