Cape Town, March 13, 2026 – Policymakers and business leaders from across Africa have called for stronger regional integration and the removal of trade barriers to expand intra-African trade, during the Africa Trade Conference 2026 held in Cape Town.
The one-day event, themed “Turning Vision into Velocity: Building Africa’s Trade Ecosystem for Real-World Impact,” brought together government officials, development institutions, investors, and business leaders to discuss strategies for accelerating Africa’s participation in global trade while strengthening commerce within the continent.
Regional Integration Key to Unlocking Growth
Kennedy Mbekeani, Director General for Southern Africa at the African Development Bank, emphasized the urgency of regional integration, noting that global developments in recent years have highlighted the continent’s need for greater cooperation.
He also addressed perceptions of Africa as a high-risk investment destination. “That perception is sometimes intentional,” Mbekeani said. “They will continue to tell us that Africa is risky so that they can yield as much as they can from us.”
Removing Barriers and Simplifying Trade
Tiroeaone Ntsima, Botswana’s Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, highlighted the benefits of open borders and jointly financed cross-border projects. He stressed the importance of better coordination between neighboring countries and the simplification of trade routes and cross-border facilities to ease the movement of goods and services.
Ghana’s Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, pointed to fragmentation as a persistent obstacle to trade, both within and between countries. She called for seamless sharing of data across regions and agencies to reduce bottlenecks and facilitate smoother commerce.
Zambia’s Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga, urged African economies to support one another through stronger investment and trade ties, emphasizing collaboration over competition to drive shared growth.
The Role of Regional Economic Communities
Ministers highlighted the underperformance of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), which were originally established to eliminate trade barriers among member states. Mulenga noted that some countries continue to impose non-tariff barriers, deliberately restricting trade and undermining regional cooperation.
He called on governments and businesses to strengthen cross-border investment and partnership initiatives. “We need to encourage inter-country investment and business-to-business collaboration… never compete against each other but complement each other,” he said.
The conference underscored a clear message: Africa’s economic potential can only be fully realized through coordinated regional policies, seamless trade facilitation, and stronger investment linkages across the continent.