Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene has held high-level talks with Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. John Asiamah, aimed at aligning financial systems with the continent’s ambitious trade agenda.
Their meeting underscored the critical link between finance and trade, focused on practical steps to remove longstanding barriers to cross-border transactions; one of the key challenges hindering intra-African commerce.
Central to the discussions was an urgent need to reduce the high cost of cross-border payments, which continues to limit the competitiveness of African businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Despite the AfCFTA’s launch, both leaders acknowledged that inefficiencies in payment systems remain a major bottleneck. Businesses trading across borders often face delays, currency conversion challenges and high transaction fees, all of which undermine the potential gains of a unified African market.
Access to finance also featured prominently in the discussions. Both sides stressed that for the AfCFTA to deliver meaningful economic outcomes, businesses – especially smaller enterprises – must be able to secure affordable credit and financial services.
The engagement further reflected a shared commitment to building a more integrated and efficient financial ecosystem across the continent. By aligning national financial systems with AfCFTA objectives, policymakers hope to accelerate intra-African trade, boost industrialisation and create sustainable economic growth.
The success of Africa’s single market will depend not only on trade policies but also the strength, efficiency and inclusiveness of its financial systems among state parties.
In a related development, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Wamkele Mene also held high-level strategic talks with Namibia’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata.
The meeting comes at a critical moment as African countries intensify efforts to translate the AfCFTA framework from policy into tangible economic outcomes.
Both leaders emphasised that while the AfCFTA represents one of the most ambitious economic integration projects globally, its success will ultimately depend on the ability of member-states to move beyond high-level commitments toward concrete, results-driven action.
The discussions reflected a shared commitment to shifting the narrative from dialogue to delivery as both sides agreed that practical implementation through coordinated policies, improved infrastructure and private sector engagement is key to unlocking the AfCFTA’s full potential.
As AfCFTA moves from negotiation to implementation, engagements with heads of partner countries like Namibia signals growing momentum among African leaders to turn ambition into action. Collaboration between the AfCFTA Secretariat and diplomatic missions like Namibia’s underscores a collective resolve to ensure that the agreement delivers real benefits to businesses, strengthens regional integration and drives inclusive economic transformation.
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