The 57th session of the Economic Commission for Africa, including the Conference of Ministers, is taking place from March 12 to 18 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It centres on advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area and addresses digitalization, technology, food security, and energy transformation.
Africa’s economic transformation depends on breaking away from historical trade patterns that have long positioned the continent as a supplier of raw materials to the rest of the world, Antonio M.A. Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, told Sputnik Africa.
“This is really a structural problem, which is deep-rooted in our history,” Pedro explained.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 57th session of the ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, he pointed out that Africa’s infrastructure was designed primarily to facilitate the export of raw materials rather than to support regional trade.
“There is no more reticular infrastructure where we are connecting within our own respective countries and so to ensure that products internally can circulate better, reach the markets and all that,” he said.
According to Pedro, overcoming this requires a comprehensive approach that includes industrialization, targeted investment strategies, and education systems that align with economic needs.
One promising solution is what Pedro calls "Afroshoring"—a concept focused on producing and consuming locally to reduce reliance on imports.
“We reduce our dependence on the rest of the world, which can deepen our vulnerability, especially now when there are supply-side shocks, there are trade wars, there are all sorts of things,” he stated.
He emphasized that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) plays a crucial role in this shift by enhancing intra-African trade and identifying areas where the continent can compete globally.
For Africa to succeed in reshaping its economic landscape, Pedro stressed the need for clear policies, strong institutions, and strategic investment.
“Translating our visions to tangible outcomes requires that the visions are supported by policies, laws, and regulations that are completely aligned with those visions,” he concluded.
