Algiers, Algeria – At the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025), African trade ministers, including Somalia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mohamoud Adam Geesood, convened for a high-level ministerial dialogue to assess progress and strategies for accelerating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The meeting brought together trade leaders from across the continent to deliberate on policies and frameworks needed to unlock the AfCFTA’s potential in boosting intra-African trade, industrialization, and regional integration.
Central to the discussions was the urgency of harmonizing trade regulations, reducing non-tariff barriers, and fast-tracking the implementation of protocols on goods, services, investment, and digital trade. Ministers underscored that the AfCFTA—now covering over 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion—remains Africa’s most ambitious vehicle for economic transformation.
For Somalia, participation in the ministerial dialogue highlights its commitment to regional economic cooperation and the pursuit of opportunities for market access, job creation, and investment flows. Somalia joined the AfCFTA in 2023 and is currently aligning its trade policies with continental frameworks.
Trade ministers also exchanged views on leveraging the IATF platform to connect African businesses, expand supply chains, and strengthen resilience against global economic shocks. The dialogue concluded with a renewed pledge to work collectively toward accelerating full AfCFTA implementation by ensuring political will, institutional readiness, and private sector involvement.