… Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat. “Through this partnership with Ecobank, we are strengthening the support available to African businesses, particularly SMEs, women-led enterprises, and young entrepreneurs, to enable greater participation in intra-African …
Ecobank, AfCFTA strike deal to unlock $3bn for African businesses, SMEsGhana Minute.
Friday, 22 May 2026
Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Friday, 22 May 2026
Accra—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Ghanaian press · Person
Wamkele Mene
Also known as: H.E. Wamkele Mene · Mr. Mene · Mr Mene · the Secretary-General · H.E. Mene · AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene
Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat advancing intra-African trade and investment partnerships.
In coverage
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
- May 2026
… Senator Angela Alsobrooks, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Representative Yvette Clarke, and AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene. …
U.S.–Africa Summit in Washington to focus on trade, investment and industrial growthSecretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat Wamkele Mene, has stated that the AfCFTA has entered a critical new phase focused on implementation and practical delivery, marking a major step forward in Africa’s economic integration agenda. …
AfCFTA moves into implementation phase as Africa positions for global economic opportunitiesOn the sidelines of the Africa Investment and Trade Forum (AFIC12) in Algiers, Mr Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, met with Noureddine Ouadah, Minister of knowledge Economy, Start-Ups and Micro-enterprises of Algeria to discu …
AfCFTA Secretariat, Algeria strengthen partnership to support African start-ups and SMEs… Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, has reinforced diplomatic engagement with African missions in Canada through a courtesy call on Prosper Higiro, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Canada and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps. …
AfCFTA Secretary General engages African Diplomatic Corps In Canada to deepen trade cooperation… The meeting, held during an official visit to Canada at the invitation of the Canadian government, brought together Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, and the GAC Branches Management team. …
AfCFTA Secretariat deepens Canada ties in high-level Ottawa talks- April 2026
… Wamkele Mene, has held strategic talks with Namibia’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, focusing on strengthening collaboration and unlocking new trade opportunities across the continent as part of a renewed push to accelerate Africa’s economic integration. …
Namibia’s High Commissioner meet with AfCFTA Secretary-General to deepen collaboration effortsEfforts to deepen Africa’s economic integration received a fresh boost this week as the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Wamkele Mene, held high-level talks with the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. …
AfCFTA Secretary-General, BoG Governor to explore financial integration to boost intra-African tradeOn the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026, a significant step toward strengthening Africa–Türkiye economic relations were taken as the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, held high-level bilateral talks with Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bola …
AfCFTA and TÜRKIYE deepen strategic trade tiesThe Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has called for a bold and coordinated approach to investment across Africa, stressing that the continent stands at a critical juncture in redefining its role within the global eco …
AfCFTA Secretary General calls for strategic investment push to unlock Africa’s economic potential
Business
Ecobank and AfCFTA partner to unlock $3 billion trade finance
The News
Ecobank Group and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate intra-African trade and support SMEs, women-led businesses, and young entrepreneurs through a $3 billion trade finance commitment to be deployed over three years.
21 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Yesterday
Ecobank and AfCFTA partner to unlock $3 billion trade finance
Ecobank Group and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate intra-African trade and support SMEs, women-led businesses, and young entrepreneurs through a $3 billion trade finance commitment to be deployed over three years.
21 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Wednesday 13 May
U.S.–Africa Summit in Washington to focus on trade and investment
Senior U.S. policymakers and African leaders will gather in Washington, D.C. on 5 June 2026 for the African Leaders & Partners Summit 2026 to strengthen economic ties through trade, industrial policy, and investment, with discussions centred on manufacturing, energy security, digital infrastructure, critical minerals and AfCFTA opportunities.
13 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Tuesday 12 May
AfCFTA enters implementation phase to drive African trade integration
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has announced the agreement has moved into a critical implementation phase with legal instruments and operational frameworks now in place. The focus is now on enabling African businesses and the private sector to utilise the opportunities created under the AfCFTA to drive industrialisation, boost intra-African trade, and strengthen regional value chains.
12 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
AfCFTA and Algeria partner to support African start-ups, SMEs
The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and Algeria's Minister of knowledge Economy discussed strengthening collaboration to support Africa's start-up and SME ecosystem. The talks centered on the upcoming Africa Start-up Conference scheduled for December 5–7, 2026 in Algiers, which will bring together entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and policymakers to explore opportunities for scaling African enterprises under the AfCFTA.
12 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Thursday 7 May
AfCFTA Secretary-General meets African diplomats in Canada
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, engaged African missions in Canada through a courtesy call on Rwanda's High Commissioner to brief the African diplomatic community on AfCFTA progress and priorities, emphasizing the importance of coordinated diplomatic efforts to advance Africa's collective economic interests and promote unified global trade engagements.
7 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
AfCFTA Secretariat holds high-level talks with Canada
The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, led by Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, met with senior officials from Global Affairs Canada to strengthen partnerships and explore collaboration on industrialization, value chain development, and digital trade as Africa's trade agreement enters its implementation phase.
7 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Thursday 30 April
Namibia, AfCFTA Secretary-General discuss trade integration
Namibia's High Commissioner to Ghana met with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretary-General to discuss strengthening collaboration and expanding trade opportunities across the continent. The discussions emphasized the need to move from policy commitments to concrete implementation of the AfCFTA framework.
30 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
AfCFTA and Bank of Ghana explore financial integration for trade
The AfCFTA Secretary-General and the Bank of Ghana Governor held talks aimed at aligning financial systems with trade goals, focusing on reducing high cross-border payment costs and leveraging digital innovation to improve payment systems for intra-African commerce.
30 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Wednesday 29 April
AfCFTA and Türkiye discuss deepening trade ties
The AfCFTA Secretary-General and Türkiye's Minister of Trade met at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to discuss expanding trade, investment, and industrial cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework, as Türkiye looks to deepen its economic footprint across Africa.
29 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
AfCFTA Secretary General urges strategic investment to unlock Africa's potential
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, has called for coordinated investment across Africa, emphasizing that the continent is increasingly viewed as a critical partner in global supply chains. He stressed that scaling up investment requires improved business environments, regulatory certainty, and infrastructure development across transport, energy, and digital networks.
29 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →