Kigali, Rwanda, October 2024
On the sidelines of the Biashara Afrika 2024 Forum, Mr. Anselme Vodounhessi, Coordinator of the Common African Agro-Parks #CAAPs Programme, held a high-level discussion with His Excellency Mahamadou Issoufou, Champion of the AfCFTA, on the development of #CAAPs zones in Africa within the AfCFTA framework.
During the meeting, His Excellency Issoufou underscored the significance of the #CAAPs programme in addressing Africa’s agricultural challenges, specifically pointing out that the continent spends over 70 billion euros annually on food imports. He reaffirmed his support for the #CAAPs agenda and committed to advancing it under the AfCFTA, recognizing it as crucial for Africa’s economic independence in the agro-industrial sector.
A key topic of discussion was the development of a #CAAPs Zone for Livestock in the Tri-Border Region of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. His Excellency stressed the urgency of this initiative, given its potential to strengthen local economies, improve food security, and mitigate regional tensions.
His Excellency emphasized the need for ongoing collaboration to ensure the success of the #CAAPs initiative in unlocking Africa’s agricultural potential through the AfCFTA framework.
For more information, kindly visit www.faraafrica.org/caaps , join the #CAAPs Community of Practice via https://faraafrica.community/caaps/join or contact #CAAPs Coordinator Anselme Vodounhessi [email protected]
It was an honor to meet a man deeply passionate about African integration! His vision for promoting unity and cooperation among African nations aligns perfectly with the African Union’s aspirations for a prosperous, peaceful, and integrated continent. I’m impressed by his commitment to championing citizen inclusion and increased cooperation, which is truly inspiring. As Champion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he recognizes the Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs) as a powerful tool for establishing free agri-trade zones and common African cities. This aligns with the Agenda 2063 goal of building a united, prosperous, and strong Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.
[English]
My thought from the 2024 Biashara Africa: “The pursuit of Africa’s transformative development agenda cannot be held hostage by political instability. We must proactively devise solutions to isolate progress from sanctions, acknowledging that perceived stability often conceals underlying risks. To unlock the massive investments necessary for Africa’s takeoff, our leaders must adopt bold, collaborative approaches, driven by a collective vision of the prosperous, united Africa we aspire to build, as outlined in Agenda 2063.”
[Francais]
Ma réflexion issue du Biashara Africa 2024 : « La poursuite du programme de développement transformateur de l’Afrique ne peut être prise en otage par l’instabilité politique. Nous devons élaborer proactivement des solutions pour isoler la progression des sanctions, en reconnaissant que la stabilité perçue cache souvent des risques sous-jacents. Pour débloquer les investissements massifs nécessaires au décollage de l’Afrique, nos dirigeants doivent adopter des approches audacieuses et collaboratives, animées par une vision collective de l’Afrique prospère et unie que nous aspirons à bâtir, tel que décrit dans l’Agenda 2063. »