By Kadijatu Bangura, Daily Scope Reporter
State House, Freetown, Monday, 13 October 2025 – President Dr. Julius Maada Bio welcomed His Excellency Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to Sierra Leone for the official launch of the country’s AfCFTA Readiness Assessment Report and the Updated National Trade Strategy (2024–2030).
Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, introduced the delegation and expressed appreciation to President Bio for the meeting. He underscored the transformative potential of the AfCFTA in enhancing intra-African trade, industrialization, and regional integration. Minister Sesay reiterated Sierra Leone’s commitment to the “From Policy to Practice” agenda, emphasizing initiatives aimed at empowering women and youth, strengthening regional value chains, and fostering an environment conducive to private sector growth.
He highlighted that under President Bio’s leadership, Sierra Leone has completed and officially gazetted its national schedule of commitments on trade in goods, becoming the first country in Africa to finalize its AfCFTA Readiness Assessment. This visit aims to enhance collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, support Sierra Leone’s participation in the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI), and raise awareness among private sector stakeholders regarding cross-border trade opportunities.
Secretary-General Wamkele Mene commended the government for its visionary leadership and dedication to implementing the AfCFTA Agreement. He referred to Sierra Leone’s accomplishments as a “model of readiness and reform,” emphasizing the importance of disciplined policy coordination for inclusive growth.
“The AfCFTA is more than just trade; it aims to transform African economies from raw material exporters to producers of value-added goods,” Mene stated. He praised Sierra Leone’s alignment of AfCFTA principles with its Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030) and the National Industrial Policy (2025–2035), noting that this alignment is crucial for competitiveness in Africa’s $3.4 trillion market.
Mene revealed that 49 African Union member states have ratified the AfCFTA Agreement, with 24 already engaged in trading under the Guided Trade Initiative. He emphasized the need for continued political will and private sector involvement to achieve the objectives of Africa’s single market.
In response, President Bio reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to the AfCFTA, stating that trade integration is “the pathway to sustainable growth, jobs, and shared prosperity.” He acknowledged the existing infrastructure and logistical challenges but highlighted the government’s reforms, including customs modernization and MSME capacity building, as evidence of the country’s readiness to engage under AfCFTA frameworks.
“Trade within Africa is the future,” President Bio declared, urging collective efforts to create one of the world’s most dynamic economic blocs. He emphasized the importance of equipping youth through quality education, technology, and skills to contribute meaningfully to this new era of African trade and innovation.
The President also noted key advancements under his administration, including macroeconomic stabilization and the integration of AfCFTA priorities into national strategies, aligning with his Big Five Game Changers: Feed Salone, Human Capital Development, Youth Employment, Public Service Reform, and Technology and Infrastructure for Economic Growth.
He encouraged local entrepreneurs, SMEs, and investors to seize opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, mining-based industrialization, and digital trade, recognizing the AfCFTA’s role in promoting intra-African banking, insurance, logistics, and creative industries.
“Let us open the corridors for private sector participation. Let us convert opportunity into action and potential into prosperity,” he concluded. “As a nation, we stand ready to fully engage, empower our youth, and contribute to Africa’s shared economic renaissance.”
President Bio also commended Minister Sesay and his team for making Sierra Leone the first African nation to complete the AfCFTA Readiness Assessment Report, which provides a comprehensive evaluation of the country’s preparedness to trade under the AfCFTA, identifying strengths, opportunities, and areas needing targeted intervention.
The visit and launch of the AfCFTA Readiness Assessment Report signify a major milestone in Sierra Leone’s ongoing collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, reaffirming the country’s commitment to regional trade, investment, and economic transformation under President Bio’s leadership.
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