W A M K E L E M E N E
S E C R E T A R Y - G E N E R A L O F T H E A F C F T A
Mr . Wamkele Mene Wamkele , a South African national , is the first Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement ( AfCFTA ) Secretariat based in Accra , Ghana . He graduated with a B . A Law from the Rhodes University , an M . A . in International Studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental & African Studies and an LL . M in Banking Law and Financial Regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science . He previously served as the Head of Mission to the World Trade Organization for South Africa . Wamkele later Chaired the Committee on International Trade in Financial Services at the World Trade Organization . He was the Chief Director for Africa Economic Relations in South Africa ’ s Department of Trade and Industry and South Africa ’ s lead negotiator during the AfCFTA negotiations . Wamkele is married to Malika Hinkson Mene .
Mr . Wamkele Mene , first Secretary General of the AfCFTA ) was swornin on 19 March 2020 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia . The Secretary General is expected to provide leadership and technical support to AfCFTA Secretariat and overall management of the day- today functioning of the Secretariat . He will be responsible for the management of the AfCFTA Secretariat , implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement and strategic collaboration ; stakeholders ’ engagement ; and resources mobilization for the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement . Among others . “ Mr . Mene is entrusted with a huge responsibility to lead one of the key institutions of the African Union and to guide Africa to realize the Aspiration number one of the Agenda 2063 which talks to the attainment of ‘ A prosperous Africa based on inclusive Growth and
Sustainable Development ”, said the PRC Chair . “ We put the AfCFTA Secretariat in very capable hands under Secretary General Mene , we are assured of effective implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement ”, said AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry . According to the new SG of the AfCFTA , Africa is open for business and mutually beneficial investment thereby creating decent jobs and improving livelihoods . He said Africa has a market of 1 . 2 billion people ; it has a combined GDP of US $ 2 . 5 trillion , and about 400 continental companies that earn annual revenues of US $ 1 billion or more . Mr . Wamkele Mene noted during his swearing in ceremony that , through at least the first half of the decade , seven of the world ’ s 10 fastest- growing economies were in Africa , according to the International Monetary Fund ’ s World Economic Outlook Database , October 2019 . He stated that , Prof Landry Signé and Acha Leke , writing in 2019 in Foresight Africa , a Brookings Institute publication ,
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