AfCFTA, APN Group Sign MoU to Boost Intra-African Investment and Trade Facilitation With Multilingual Product Labelling Initiative
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has launched a landmark multilingual labelling initiative aimed at addressing language-related trade barriers across the continent.
The initiative, undertaken in partnership with the APN Group and the Bureau of Translation and Interpretation (BTI), will see product labels translated into the five official languages of the African Union (AU)—Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is expected to ease market access for traders and exporters operating under the AfCFTA framework.
In a statement, AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene noted that the move forms part of broader efforts to standardise product certification and enhance trade facilitation among member states.
“Some countries now require that imported goods be labelled in their official language as part of their national product certification standards. This initiative will help African businesses meet those requirements and increase their competitiveness in continental markets,” Mr Mene said.
The language access programme is projected to remove a critical non-tariff barrier to trade, supporting the broader AfCFTA agenda of creating a single continental market for goods and services.
APN-AfCFTA MoU Targets Investment Growth
The AfCFTA Secretariat also announced a renewed partnership with the APN Group following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU is aimed at strengthening collaboration in the promotion of foreign and domestic investment across the African continent.
As part of the renewed cooperation, the AfCFTA Secretariat has confirmed its endorsement of the upcoming Africa Globalized Investment Summit, scheduled to be held in Seychelles this November.
The summit, which rotates annually among AfCFTA member states, will be hosted under the theme “Invest in AfCFTA, Invest in Ghana, Invest in Africa.” It will convene investors, policymakers, and private sector actors to explore opportunities in key sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, and services.
Education Services Eyed for Liberalisation
The meeting between the AfCFTA and APN Group also considered a proposal to add educational services as the sixth priority sector under the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services by 2026.
If approved, the move could unlock significant investment into Africa’s education sector and facilitate cross-border academic collaboration and talent mobility among AU member states.
Present at the meeting were AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, the Group CEO of APN Organizations, and senior representatives from both institutions.
