Zambia Chairs AU-EU Agriculture Conference in Rome

The Agriculture Minister, Hourable Reuben Phiri Mtolo says the African Continental Free Trade Area has immense potential for the economic transformation of the African continent.

Chairing the High-level thematic session on Regional Trade Integration at the 5th AU/EU Agriculture Ministerial Conference in Rome, Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri said the AFCFTA presents an opportunity for Africa to use trade as a means of ensuring food security. He said this was possible by facilitating the movement of food from surplus to deficit parts of the continent.

Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri highlighted that the African Union theme of the year “Accelerating Implementation of the AFCFTA”: sets the bar high for the African Union 2063 Agenda as it aspires to create the world’s largest free trade area bringing together the 55 countries of the African (AU) with a population of about 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of US$ 3.4 trillion aiming to expand the size of Africa’s economy up to €27.1 trillion by 2050.

The Agriculture Minister stated that Europe plays a critical role in supporting Africa’s regional integration within the continent and that the AFCFTA provided an opportunity for Europe to access a vast African continent.

Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri is confident, as this can lead to increased trade economic development. 

This is according to the press statement issued on 6th July, 2023 by Pamela Mulenga, First Secretary-Press to the Zambian Embassy in Rome, ITALY.

Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri however, lamented that Africa’s infrastructure gap was a major impediment to trade and investment, sighting “Insufficient transportation and communication networks including roads, railways and ports that exacerbate logistical delays in the movement of goods and transmission of services. 

Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri emphasised the need for the African Union to accelerate its program for infrastructure development.

Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri underscored the need for inclusion of key players such as small holder farmers, women and youth who could benefit from regional trade integration.

In his concluding remarks, Hourable Reuben Mtolo Phiri urged both the AU and EU Member States to seize the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue to explore innovative avenues of accelerating regional trade integration.

The conference was attended by African and European Ministers of Agriculture, Ambassadors accredited to Rome Based United Nations Agencies (FAO, WFP and IFAD) and International Financial Institutions (IFI’s).