The Ghana Chief of Mission for the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, the official trade organization established by 56 Heads of Commonwealth Governments to promote trade and enterprise, has reaffirmed his request for an active engagement between the AfCFTA and his organization.

The Chief of Mission, John Apea, stated that although the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement has connected 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) valued at US$3.4 trillion, its tangible benefits have yet to be realized. Apea was speaking at the recent India-African conclave organized by the Commonwealth and the Confederation of Indian Industries.

Mr. Apea said that no other organisation has the depth, breadth, connections and ties that the Commonwealth has, “The Commonwealth is home to a growing membership of 56 countries, 21 of which are African countries, with Gabon and Togo being the most recent to join at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2022. With a regional diversity only second to the United Nations, the Commonwealth covers 2.5 billion people (60% under 30), representing approximately a third of the world’s population, with a combined GDP around $13 trillion and which is estimated to reach 19.5 trillion by 2027”.

He added, “The Commonwealth network provides AfCFTA with important rails into other global networks. For example, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia can link AfCFTA to the ASEAN network which has a GDP of 3.66 trillion dollars, whilst Canada which is the third largest economy in the Commonwealth, can be an important gateway for AfCFTA into the North American market with a GDP of 31.4 trillion USD. Malta can provide an important gateway into the European Union with a GDP of 15.8 trillion Euros”

He added that 44 of the G77 nations are Commonwealth members, along with 21 of the 39 nations that make up the African Union, 12 from the Caribbean Community and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, 10 from the Pacific Island Forum, and 7 from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.