By Dickson Bandera
Angola has taken a decisive step toward regional and continental trade integration with the conclusion of its National Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, signaling the government’s strong commitment to the continent’s single market agenda.
The two-day forum, held at the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP) in Luanda, was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MINDCOM) with technical support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and funding from the Government of Canada.
The event brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders, academics, civil society, and development partners to define Angola’s roadmap for inclusive growth and economic diversification under the AfCFTA.
In her opening remarks, Secretary of State for Commerce and Services, H.E. Ms. Augusta de Carvalho Gando Frederico Fortes, underscored that President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço—who currently chairs the African Union—views the AfCFTA as a strategic priority for transforming Africa’s economies.
“The AfCFTA provides an avenue for Angola to accelerate economic diversification and regional integration,” she said. “Through projects such as the Lobito Corridor, which connects the Atlantic to the heart of the continent, Angola is well-positioned to become a logistics and industrial hub for Southern Africa.”
Representing the ECA, Ms. Eunice G. Kamwendo, Director of the Subregional Office for Southern Africa, congratulated Angola on achieving this milestone and pledged continued ECA support during the strategy’s formulation and implementation phases.
“The AfCFTA is not just a trade pact but a strategic pathway for inclusive and sustainable development,” said Ms. Kamwendo. “A national implementation strategy will guide Angola toward becoming one of Africa’s leading economies, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want.”
Ms. Kamwendo also commended Angola’s recent accession to the SADC Free Trade Area, describing it as “a solid foundation for effective AfCFTA participation,” while referencing ECA’s Economic Report on Africa 2025, which identifies industrialization, technology, and private sector empowerment as critical to the trade pact’s success.
UN Resident Coordinator in Angola, Mr. Diego Zorrilla, praised the government’s leadership and reaffirmed the UN’s support for the AfCFTA strategy’s rollout.
“Angola’s success under the AfCFTA will hinge on reforms that boost competitiveness, infrastructure, and productivity,” said Mr. Zorrilla. “This must include targeted support for MSMEs, women, and youth entrepreneurs under the UN’s Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.”
Speaking for the AfCFTA Secretariat, Mr. Gilberto António noted that the agreement presents Angola with a historic opportunity to diversify its economy away from oil dependency, highlighting that 49 African countries have already ratified the AfCFTA.
Meanwhile, H.E. Mr. Anderson Blanc, Ambassador Designate of Canada to Angola, reaffirmed Canada’s continued support for Africa under its new Africa Strategy, which aligns with Agenda 2063. He emphasized potential cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure, and the green transition.
Technical experts from ECA, the AfCFTA Secretariat, and MINDCOM led in-depth sessions unpacking trade protocols, Angola’s market access offers, and strategies to strengthen participation in intra-African trade.
The forum concluded with a collective resolve to translate policy into action—anchoring Angola’s ambition to unlock the vast opportunities of a more connected, industrialized, and prosperous Africa.
