Officials on Monday said at least seven heads of state and 3,000 participants would attend the 2025 African Prosperity Dialogue (APD) slated for the Ghanaian capital from January 30 to February 1.
The APD jointly organized by the African Prosperity Network (APN) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat, aims to galvanise public and private-sector stakeholders to accelerate infrastructure investments and integration, critical to realising Africa’s vision of a single, interconnected continental market.
Themed: “Delivering the African Single Market Through Infrastructure: Invest, Connect, Integrate, ” the 2025 dialogue promises to be a landmark event for advancing Africa’s economic integration, said officials at a press briefing.
Rui Pedro Afonso Livramento, Chief of Staff at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, underscored the critical role of infrastructure in achieving the vision of a fully integrated African single market.
Livramento reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to fostering collaborations to address infrastructure deficits that continue to impede intra-African trade.
“The AfCFTA has made significant strides since its inception, including establishing a solid institutional framework and recording growth in trade under the Guided Trade Initiative,” he said.
The AfCFTA official added that “However, infrastructure remains a critical bottleneck. Inefficient transport and logistics add 30 to 40 per cent to intra-African trade costs, particularly affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs).”
Stephanie Diatta, Chief of Partnerships and International Relations at the APN Secretariat, who outlined plans for the upcoming event, said representatives from 46 countries, with seven heads of state have already confirmed their attendance.
Diata said this diverse and influential assembly would focus on strategic solutions aimed at transforming Africa’s borders into bridges of economic integration and opportunity.
The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) is a private non-profit organisation founded to advance the vision of “Africa We Want,” as outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It strives to promote Africa’s progress, independent of external aid. Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD)
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues series offers a strategic platform where movers and shakers across Africa elevate the continent’s economic integration objectives from ambition to real action.