Abuja (Nigeria), 1 July, 2026 (SPS) – The Minister of Trade, Mr. Salek Laabid, held talks with the Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Mr. Wamkele Mene, on the sidelines of the 18th Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade of the African Continental Free Trade Area, held in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
The discussions focused on ways to strengthen the participation of the Sahrawi Republic in the various institutions and mechanisms of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Both sides exchanged views on how to enhance the Sahrawi Republic's engagement in the process of continental economic integration, in line with the objectives of the Agreement and the aspirations of African states to establish a unified continental market.
The two parties reviewed the latest developments in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, as well as future prospects for further developing its mechanisms and strengthening its role in promoting intra-African trade, encouraging investment, and achieving sustainable economic development across the continent.
The meeting underscored the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation between the Sahrawi Republic and the AfCFTA Secretariat in order to strengthen the Sahrawi Republic's presence within the various organs and mechanisms of the AfCFTA and to benefit from the opportunities provided by the Agreement to support African economic integration.
Representing the Sahrawi side at the meeting were Mr. Ibrahim Salem Bousif, Ambassador of the Sahrawi Republic to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mr. Sidi Adda Ibrahim, a member of the Sahrawi Technical Committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.
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