All Nations University in Koforidua has secured all the necessary approvals to introduce a course on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) initiative beginning September this year to build students’ capacity in the subject.
This makes the university the first institution to run the Ghana International Trade and Finance Conference (GITFiC)-AfCFTA curriculum, designed as a credit-scoring and core subject aimed at producing the critical manpower needed for the implementation of the AfCFTA.
The Chief Executive Officer of GITFiC, Mr Selasi Koffi Ackom, in a statement expressed optimism about onboarding at least 100 tertiary institutions across Africa by the end of 2031 as part of the GITFiC-Agenda 2031, which also covers the Global Debt Initiative and AfCFTA Implementation Support Initiatives.
“The programme is under the GITFiC-AfCFTA Tertiary Students’ Club, which operates under the slogan ‘To know is to be informed’. These clubs have become essential vehicles in promoting the AfCFTA within higher education,” Mr Ackom said.
He explained that a curriculum committee had been formed to develop a comprehensive and standardised course for tertiary institutions in Africa, following extensive stakeholder engagement and consultations with academic boards and educational regulatory agencies.
“Together, we can achieve meaningful progress in advancing the AfCFTA and fostering a prosperous economic landscape across our continent,” he said.
Mr Ackom traced the progress of the AfCFTA initiative, noting that it began in 2018 when African Heads of State met in Kigali, Rwanda, and committed to advancing the continental trade agreement.
According to him, GITFiC’s Implementation Support Initiatives started at its third annual conference in 2019 at the African Union Headquarters, where stakeholders charted the path for AfCFTA’s operationalisation.
“In 2020, Accra was designated the Commercial Capital of Africa alongside the establishment of the AfCFTA Secretariat in Ghana, a move to galvanise continental support for sensitising and educating the business community on AfCFTA opportunities,” he stated.
Mr Ackom said the 2020 conference was attended by then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and leaders from 16 African countries, who reinforced the importance of the declaration.
As part of its commitments made in Kigali and at the AU Headquarters, Mr Ackom said GITFiC had published a handbook titled ‘Actualizing the African Economic Vision: A Practical Handbook on the AfCFTA’, which serves as a resource for academic and business communities.
He said the AfCFTA curriculum initiative was a strategic move to ensure that future African leaders were well-equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to harness the full benefits of continental trade integration.
info@businessghana.com
