The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Wamkele Mene, has held substantive discussions with Seychelles’ top leadership on positioning th island nation to maximise opportunities under the continental free trade agreement while addressing the unique challenges that geography and economic structure present for small island developing states.
The high-level exchange brought together Vice President H.E. Sebastien Pillay and Hon. Barry Faure, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, in a conversation that ranged across transport and connectivity constraints, the potential of digital trade to overcome isolation, the availability of AfCFTA support mechanisms including the Adjustment Fund, and the imperative of developing implementation strategies tailored to Seychelles’ distinctive economic realities.
The Secretary-General highlighted the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund as one of the instruments available to support member states in overcoming structural barriers to trade integration.
The Adjustment Fund, designed to help countries manage the costs of AfCFTA implementation and address competitiveness constraints, provides a potential source of financing for the infrastructure, systems, and capacity building that island states like Seychelles need to participate effectively in continental trade.
The Bilateral engagement also highlighted how digital trade presents opportunities for Seychelles to participate in the continental economy in ways that bypass traditional transport constraints. The AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade creates a framework for trade in services, digital products, and electronically delivered content across countries.
Both parties in the discussions emphasised the opportunities the Digital Trade Protocol presents for Seychelles. Highlighting the benefits digital trade presents Seychelles’ tourism sector, which dominates its economy, connecting the country’s hospitality businesses with African travelers and tour operators.
The Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat emphasise the secretariat’s to working with island states to develop the tailored approaches, support mechanisms, and connectivity solutions that inclusive integration requires.
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