AfCFTA Youth Advisory Council

MC14 has concluded in Yaoundé. After four days of negotiations, only two decisions were adopted while major reforms on agriculture, dispute settlement, fisheries subsidies and digital trade remain unresolved. What does this mean for Africa and the future of global trade? Read ICOYACA’s full analysis on LinkedIn: 👇 linkedin.com/pulse/mc14-has… #MC14 #MC14Yaoundé #WTO #AfricanTrade #AfCFTA #TradePolicy

Africa’s greatest strength is its people, especially its young people. 🌍✨ This Africa Day, we’re reflecting on the voices, dreams, creativity, and aspirations of young Africans captured during the @AfCFTA's Creative Connect Afrika last year. From different backgrounds and perspectives, one message remains clear: the future of Africa will be shaped by collaboration, innovation, solidarity, and youth leadership. At ICOYACA, we remain committed to creating platforms that amplify young African voices and advance continental integration through the AfCFTA. 🎥 Watch the full video and hear directly from inspiring young changemakers across the continent. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join the movement toward a more connected and prosperous Africa 👉 lnkd.in/dfGyS3CA.

[FR] Bonne Journée de l’Afrique 2026 🌍 Aujourd’hui, nous célébrons la résilience, la diversité, l’unité et l’immense potentiel de notre continent et de ses peuples. À ICOYACA, nous croyons que l’avenir de l’Afrique sera porté par des jeunes leaders du commerce continental, de l’innovation et de la collaboration à travers la ZLECAf. En cette journée symbolique, nous renouvelons notre engagement à soutenir des solutions dirigées par les jeunes pour favoriser l’intégration, la transformation économique et une prospérité partagée sur tout le continent. La force de l’Afrique réside dans notre solidarité, notre vision commune et notre capacité à travailler ensemble au-delà des frontières. Ensemble, nous façonnons l’avenir de l’Afrique. 💚✨

[EN] Happy Africa Day 2026 🌍 Today, we celebrate the resilience, diversity, unity, and immense potential of our continent and its people. At ICOYACA, we believe Africa’s future will be shaped by young people leading continental trade, innovation, and collaboration through the AfCFTA. As we mark this day, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering youth-led solutions that drive integration, economic transformation, and shared prosperity across Africa. Africa’s strength lies in our solidarity, our vision, and our ability to work together beyond borders. Together, we are shaping the future of Africa. 💚✨

ICOYACA is proud to launch its Young Experts Network 👏🌍. The Network brings together emerging African professionals across law, policy, governance, economics, finance, agriculture and inclusive trade to help bridge the gap between youth expertise and the institutions shaping Africa’s economic future. Our aim is to ensure young people are not only consulted, but meaningfully positioned within government, private sector and development spaces where implementation and decision-making take place. This reflects a broader continental mindset shift: young Africans are not simply the future of development, they are active actors shaping it now. Announced alongside conversations at the AfCFTA Biashara Forum on youth participation, SMEs and Africa’s integration agenda. Read more on our website 👉 icoyacaafrica.org/news #AfCFTA #YouthLeadership #AfricanDevelopment

Day 1 of Biashara Afrika 2026 opened with a shared sense of purpose and possibility as policymakers, businesses, entrepreneurs, and partners came together with one goal: building a truly continental market for Africa. Here is a look back at some of the key moments from the day. #BA26 #AfCFTA

Earlier this week at #BiasharaAfrika2026, participants shared their aspirations for the future of African trade, a continent where businesses can move goods more easily, barriers are reduced, and opportunities flow across borders with greater ease. Their voices reflect a shared ambition for a more connected, practical, and inclusive trading environment for Africa’s businesses and people. #BA2026 #CreatingOneAfricanMarket #BiasharaAfrika #AfCFTA

🚨 Calling All African SMEs! 🌍 ICOYACA is proud to partner with @234Finance for the SME Bootcamp 2026, a two-month Pan-African program designed to help high-growth SMEs scale across African markets under the AfCFTA. If your business is ready for cross-border growth, this is your opportunity to gain: ✅ Expert-led training ✅ Mentorship & investor readiness support ✅ Access to strategic partners, financial institutions & investors ✅ Funding opportunities of up to $2M ✅ Access to the Mentor Matchup Challenge (MMC) ecosystem 📌 Eligibility: • 3+ years in business • Up to $100,000 annual turnover • Team size of 2–10 people ⏰ GOOD NEWS: Applications have been EXTENDED to 30 May 2026 at 11:59 PM WAT! 📝 Apply now: 234finance.com/bootcamp Estimated application time: 10 minutes. Take the next step toward scaling your business across Africa. 🚀 #SMEBootcamp2026 #ICOYACA #AfCFTA #AfricanSMEs #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #PanAfrican #InvestorReadiness

Speaker Spotlight | #YouLead26 Meet Emolot Allan David — Chairperson, Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA, @ICOYACA. Shaping youth engagement in Africa’s trade and economic future.

An insightful session at #BiasharaAfrika2026 as H.E. Dr George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Export-Import Bank, took the stage discussing financing Africa’s trade and industrial transformation under the AfCFTA. Moderated by Hannane Ferdjani, the session highlighted how strategic investment, stronger regional value chains, and increased intra-African trade can accelerate Africa’s economic integration and industrial growth. It drew on practical, proven experience of Afrexim Bank's financing value chain development, such as the cotton value chain development project in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, and Cameroon, as examples of how value addition and industrialisation can drive sustainable growth across the continent. @afreximbank #BA2026 #CreatingOneAfricanMarket

“Without the private sector as a co-driver of this ambitious project, the success of the AfCFTA will be constrained.” — H.E. Wamkele Mene. Speaking at the opening of #BiasharaAfrika2026, H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the #AfCFTA, highlighted the significant progress being made in advancing intra-African trade across the continent. He noted that the growth in intra-African trade is clear evidence that the AfCFTA is working, transforming what once seemed impossible into a lived reality for Africa. Emphasising that there can be no trade without businesses, H.E. Mene underscored the AfCFTA Secretariat’s continued support for SMEs and the private sector through practical tools and instruments designed to unlock opportunities under the Agreement. He further highlighted the Secretariat’s efforts to digitalise trade through instruments such as digital payment systems, non-tariff barrier reporting mechanisms, and the e-Certificate of Origin, all of which are accelerating Africa’s digital trade transformation. H.E. Mene reaffirmed the AfCFTA Secretariat’s commitment to ensuring that the Agreement moves beyond paper to practical implementation capable of addressing the continent’s trade challenges. #BA2026 #CreatingOneAfricanMarket

ICOYACA hosted a successful training on the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services for our Country Executive Committees across Africa. 🌍 Thank you to all EXCO members for your active participation and engagement throughout the session. We explored: ✅ The 4 Modes of Supply ✅ Market Access & National Treatment ✅ Mode 4 & movement of professionals ✅ Key implementation challenges under AfCFTA Special thanks to Acting Secretary General @itsElenaNomis for facilitating the training. 🎥 We have decided to make recordings available on our YouTube channel. The recording will remain accessible for one week 👇 : youtu.be/8qFwRlK-YXQ

The AfCFTA Secretariat is calling for applications for the AfCFTA Startup Acceleration Programme 2026, an initiative implemented under the AfCFTA – Korea Africa Foundation (KAF) partnership aimed at supporting 30 high-potential African startups to scale into Korea and other global markets. The programme targets startups operating in sectors including fintech, e-commerce, logistics, agri-tech, manufacturing, and digital platforms, with a strong focus on businesses ready to expand internationally and leverage opportunities under the AfCFTA. Applications close on 24 May 2026. Apply here: au-afcfta.org/afcfta-startup… #CreatingOneAfricanMarket #Startups #Innovation

At Biashara Afrika 2026, dialogue turns into delivery. Engage with leading public and private sector voices working to unlock Africa’s trade and investment potential under the AfCFTA. Register here: lnkd.in/dd9nMzwa #BA26 #CreatingOneAfricanMarket

[ENG] Today, we celebrate the heartbeat of our communities and honour the workers, entrepreneurs, farmers, educators, health professionals, innovators, public servants, and young people whose effort, creativity and resilience drive Africa forward every day. Their work powers inclusive growth, strengthens our economies, and advances the Africa we want. [FRA] Aujourd’hui, nous célébrons le cœur battant de nos communautés et rendons hommage aux travailleurs, entrepreneurs, agriculteurs, enseignants, professionnels de la santé, innovateurs, agents publics et jeunes dont les efforts, la créativité et la résilience font avancer l’Afrique chaque jour. Leur travail stimule une croissance inclusive, renforce nos économies et fait progresser l’Afrique que nous voulons.

At Biashara Afrika 2026, dialogue turns into delivery. Engage with leading public and private sector voices working to unlock Africa’s trade and investment potential under the AfCFTA. Register here: lnkd.in/dd9nMzwa #BA26 #CreatingOneAfricanMarket

Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peters emphasised that unilateral economic decisions are reshaping global trade flows. Today, the climate and trade nexus is unavoidable. Industrialisation, green transitions and market access are now part of the same conversation. Africa’s voice in shaping sustainable global trade governance is more important than ever.

Trenton Elsely of South Africa’s Labour Research Service reminded participants that discussions on women and youth often reflect the realities of the informal economy. Inclusive trade policy must recognise where most Africans actually work and trade.

#ThrowbackThursday In May 2025, ICOYACA participated in the Reimagining Cooperation on Trade and Sustainability workshop at the @MandelaUCT in Cape Town. At a time of shifting geopolitics and fragmented global cooperation, those conversations feel increasingly relevant.