Luanda, Angola – 16 October 2025: The Government of Angola, through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MINDCOM), just concluded the National Forum on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, marking a major milestone in the country’s pursuit of regional and continental trade integration.
The two-day Forum, held at the National School of Administration and Public Policy (ENAPP) in Luanda, was organized by MINDCOM with technical support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) through its Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) and the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC), with funding from the Government of Canada.
The Forum brought together senior government officials, representatives of the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to chart Angola’s pathway to inclusive growth and economic diversification under the AfCFTA.
The objectives of the workshop were to present the outline and ECA’s methodology to guide the development of Angola’s AfCFTA Implementation Strategy and Action Plan, hold break-out sessions with targeted stakeholders to elicit inputs and insights from them and unpack the AfCFTA, its rationale and protocols to the stakeholders.
In her opening remarks, Her Excellency Ms. Augusta de Carvalho Gando Frederico Fortes, Secretary of State for Commerce and Services, emphasized that President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, current Chairperson of the African Union, views the AfCFTA as a strategic priority to drive economic diversification, regional integration, and structural transformation across Africa. She highlighted the Lobito Corridor as a flagship initiative that connects the Atlantic to the heart of the continent, positioning Angola as a logistics and industrial hub for Southern Africa.
Speaking on behalf of ECA, Ms. Eunice G. Kamwendo, Director of the Subregional Office for Southern Africa, congratulated the Government and people of Angola for this milestone and reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to supporting the country throughout the strategy’s development and implementation.
“The AfCFTA is not just a trade pact but a strategic pathway for inclusive and sustainable development,” said Ms. Kamwendo. “The development of a National AfCFTA Strategy and Action Plan will shape Angola’s pathway toward becoming one of Africa’s leading economies, reflecting its commitment to the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – the Africa We Want.”
She also commended Angola’s recent accession to the SADC Free Trade Area, calling it a vital foundation for effective AfCFTA implementation, and drew attention to the findings of the ECA Economic Report on Africa 2025, which underscores industrialization, technology adoption, and private sector empowerment as key drivers of AfCFTA success.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations System in Angola, Mr. Diego Zorrilla, UN Resident Coordinator, praised the Government’s leadership and reaffirmed the UN’s continued support towards implementation of the AfCFTA Strategy.
He noted that Angola’s success under the AfCFTA will depend on reforms that strengthen competitiveness, infrastructure, and productivity, alongside targeted support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), women, and youth entrepreneurs, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework’s (UNSDCF) Prosperity Pillar.
“Representing the AfCFTA Secretariat, Mr. Gilberto António emphasized that the AfCFTA offers Angola a historic opportunity to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil, with 49 African nations having already ratified the Agreement.
Meanwhile, H.E. Mr. Anderson Blanc, Ambassador Designate of Canada to Angola, reaffirmed Canada’s ongoing commitment to Africa under its new Africa Strategy, aligned with Agenda 2063, highlighting opportunities for expanded cooperation in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, and the green transition.”
Technical experts from both the ECA and the AfCFTA Secretariat along with government officials from MINDCOM facilitated technical sessions to unpack the AfCFTA and outline Angola’s offers under the Protocol on Trade in Goods and Trade in Services.
The Forum marks a pivotal moment in Angola’s journey from policy to action, unlocking opportunities for a more connected, industrialized, and prosperous Africa.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org