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President Akufo-Addo and ten other African Heads of State and Governments will receive awards for their role in the coming into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina will also be honoured for his role in that respect.
The awards ceremony will take place today [January 15, 2021] at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and via Zoom.[ads2]
Below is the list of the awardees
Award Ceremony on the 15th January 2021-Appreciation for illustrious leaders-heads of State and Government, Heads of Institutions
1. Felix Tshekedi, President of the Democractic Republic of Congo, incoming Chairperson of the African Union.
2. Ahmed Fattah Al-Sisi, President of Egypt, former Chairperson of the African Union.
3. His Majesty King Mswati III, Ngwenyama of Eswatini, Host of the AeTrade Group Regional Headquarters for Southern Africa.
4. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Host of the AUC.
5. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, host of the AfCFTA Secretariat[ads3]
6. Professor Alpha Conde, President of the Guinea, host of the AcTrade Regional Headquarters for West Africa.
7. Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger, Leader and Champion of the AfCTA process.
8. Mahamadou Buhari, President of Nigeria.
9. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
10. Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, Chairperson of the African Union.
The award organisers, a number of African private sector organisations in partnership with the African Union Commission, will also honour two former heads of state— Mr Hailemariam Desalegn; former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Patron, AcTrade Group, and Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, Patron AfroChampions.
Some heads of African institutions and other prominent individuals for their ‘exceptional contribution to the AFCFTA process.’
Background of AfCFTA
AfCFTA, the world’s largest free trade area, has the potential to transform the continent with its potential market of 1.2 billion people and combined GDP of around $3 trillion across the 54-member states of the AU. Trading under AfCFTA commenced on 1 January, 2021.[ads4]
The AfCFTA aims at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, to promote intra-continental trade.
The agreement, signed among 54 African countries, with 28 depositing their instruments of ratification, makes Africa the largest free trade area in the world, with a population of 1.3 billion people and a total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than $3.4 trillion.
The agreement was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, on March 21, 2018 and entered into force on May 30, 2019 when the minimum required 22 countries deposited their instruments of ratification with the Chairperson of the African Union.
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