Zambia to host inaugural AfCFTA digital trade, services forum in Lusaka

The government has announced that Zambia will host the inaugural African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Digital Trade and Services Forum, set to take place this month in Lusaka.

The forum, themed “Boosting Digital Trade to Accelerate AfCFTA Implementation,” will be officiated by President Hakainde Hichilema and is expected to attract over 1,000 delegates, including Heads of State, ministers, industry leaders, academic institutions, and innovators from across Africa and beyond.

Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati and Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Lillian Bwalya announced this during a joint media briefing in Lusaka on Friday.

Minister Mutati confirmed that countries such as Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe are expected to participate in the forum.

“The AfCFTA, a flagship initiative of the African Union, aims to create a single liberalized market for goods and services across the continent,” he said.

He highlighted that with a market of 1.4 billion people and a combined Gross Domestic Product of over US$3.4 trillion, the AfCFTA was poised to be the largest free trade area in the world.

The forum aims to provide a platform for knowledge sharing, experience exchange, and best practices to boost digital trade, inspiring a new era of economic growth and prosperity.

Mutati emphasized that the event would showcase Zambia’s potential as a hub for digital trade, fostering innovation and unlocking new opportunities for investment, entrepreneurship, and job creation.

Similarly, Permanent Secretary Bwalya stated that the forum’s theme aligned with Zambia’s National E-commerce Strategy, aimed at creating a framework for e-commerce growth.

“We expect this event to augment Zambia’s potential as a hub for digital trade, foster innovation, and unlock new opportunities for investment, entrepreneurship, and job creation,” she said.

She noted that the benefits of the forum would extend beyond the digital economy, impacting the daily lives of ordinary Zambians and generating a strong economic stimulus for Lusaka.

A structured post-forum implementation mechanism would ensure lasting impact from the event.

“Zambia is honored to host this landmark continental engagement, driving digital trade for Africa’s transformation,” Bwalya stated.

She declared that Zambia was ready, open, and committed to building Africa’s digital future and looksu forward to a successful forum that will drive digital trade and economic growth in Zambia and across the African continent.

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