Secretary-General Welcomes African Free Trade Agreement Signing as Step towards Achieving Common Development Goals, Pledges United Nations Support

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

I congratulate African leaders for taking the leap into history by signing the African Continental Free Trade Area to create one of the world’s largest trading blocs with over 50 countries.  I salute the leadership of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, who led the process.

This is an important step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and delivering on the African agenda of peace and prosperity.

With the joint African Union-United Nations agreement for the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as our common framework, the entire United Nations family stands ready to support the continent as it forges forward the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area in the coming months.