Accra: The maiden edition of the African Diplomacy and Business Dialogue (AfDiB 2025) is scheduled to take place on September 3, 2025, in Accra. The event aims to enhance trade through diplomacy and collaboration among various sectors.
According to Ghana News Agency, the dialogue, which will be hosted at the Association of African Universities (AAU) premises, is organized by the Accra-based SALT University College (SUC). The theme for this year's dialogue is 'Harnessing African Diplomacy for the Success of AfCFTA,' reflecting its focus on contributing to the vision realization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The event is designed to foster networking and collaboration among participants from government agencies, diplomatic missions, trade organizations, academic institutions, private businesses, and individual citizens. A statement released on Thursday, signed by Madam Elizabeth Adjei, Chairperson of the AfDiB 2025 Planning Committee, highlighted the dialogue's objectives.
The AfCFTA Agreement, which entered into force on May 30, 2019, has seen significant progress since its adoption on March 21, 2018, in Kigali, Rwanda. As of February this year, 54 out of 55 African Union (AU) Member States have signed the agreement, with 48 having ratified it, showcasing strong interest in the initiative.
Analysts suggest that a fully operational AfCFTA could substantially increase trade among African countries by removing tariffs on 90 percent of goods and reducing non-tariff barriers. This is anticipated to boost intra-African trade by over 50 percent in the coming years. Additionally, the AfCFTA is expected to encourage African nations to transition from exporting raw materials to producing and trading value-added goods.
The dialogue will feature Professor Lord Mawuko Yevugah, Associate Professor of Political Economy and International Relations at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), as the Keynote Speaker. The panel discussion will include Dr. Emmanuel Del-Tumi, Executive Director of the Africa Future Leaders Institute of Global Affairs, and Ms. Helen Appiah-Ampofo, Broadcast Journalist at TV3.
