A partnership has been signed between Africa World Trade Network and Blueline International Incorporation (BLI Inc.), to jointly promote trade and investment within the East African corridor and across the continent.
This follows the recent launch of Africa World Trade Network (AWTN) in Accra, Ghana, where it detailed its initiative of accelerating critical investments for Africa’s industrialization and trade.
The agreement was signed on Thursday 28 July 2022 at the capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam.
With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat as its strategic partner, AWTN assures of scaling up participation of private and public sector actors within the East African Community and other regional blocs on the continent, in the “single liberalized African market”. Blueline International Incorporation will by effect of the partnership, be the recognized Representative for AWTN in Eastern Africa, and thus support organisations within the region to access trade and investment opportunities as created via the AfCFTA.
AWTN’s unique platform; Industrialize Africa™ Forum, a high-level conference and exhibition platform, will be exploited to harness regional trade partnerships and generate investment for infrastructure development across the African continent. At the signing ceremony, Board Chair for AWTN, Otwasuom Osae Nyampong VI stressed the need for other organisations, particularly the private sector, to join the network in championing the agenda of the AfCFTA.
He emphasized that until African businesses realise the need to collaborate with one another and beyond their traditional corridors, the benefits of the AfCFTA will not fully materialize.
He said; “The piloting of trade frameworks via the AfCFTA Initiative on Guided Trade which was recently launched, will gain the traction with our operations. As Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon, and Egypt have opted to pilot the Agreement, we hope to grow our network across the continent, and demonstrate to the world how powerful we can be together. And I have no doubt we shall succeed.”
On her part, Director of Blueline International Incorporation, Khadija Juma Ngasongwa indicated that the potential for Africa’s transformation and liberation is rife, adding that this is the opportune time for Africans to rise to the call. She emphasized that AWTN’s paltform (Industrialize Africa ™ Forum) is innovative and promises to create equal opportunities for all businesses across the continent.
“We are going to have dedicated platforms that will catapult the SMEs onto the AfCFTA. Its not going to be an exercise that will benefit only large corporations. And in making a strong case and creating evidence for an effective trade agreement, equall opportunities must be greater for all,” she added.
The partnership will draw from commitments made by AWTN to the AfCFTA Secretariat, in areas of agribusiness, automobile, pharmaceuticals, logistics and transportation, telecommunications/digitisation, and among others.