The African Continental Free Trade Area, known as the AfCFTA, brings together all 55 member states of the African Union into a single trading bloc, an effort to knit together one of the world’s most fragmented markets. By lowering barriers across eight regional economic communities, the agreement is intended to allow goods and services to move more freely across borders, strengthening Africa’s position in global trade.

Economists say the pact could significantly reshape commerce within the continent. Estimates suggest that eliminating import duties alone could increase intra-African trade by more than 50 percent, with even larger gains possible if governments also address non-tariff barriers such as customs delays and regulatory hurdles.

For many businesses, the current system remains paradoxical: exporting within Africa is often more expensive than trading with partners outside the continent, with average tariffs hovering around 6.1 percent. The agreement aims to reverse that dynamic by gradually reducing these costs, opening access to a larger and more integrated market.

Over the longer term, proponents argue, the AfCFTA could help drive structural transformation. Some projections suggest that, if fully implemented, it could expand Africa’s combined economic output to as much as $29 trillion by mid-century, though much will depend on how effectively member states follow through on reforms.

Burkina Faso’s military authorities have ordered the dissolution of more than 100 civil society organisations, in a sweeping move that rights groups say marks a deepening assault on fundamental freedoms.

The decree, announced on Wednesday by the Ministry of Territorial Administration, mandates the closure of 118 associations and non-governmental organisations and prohibits their activities, citing compliance with existing legal provisions. Many of the affected groups are engaged in human rights advocacy.

The decision represents the latest step in a broader tightening of political space under the junta led by Ibrahim Traoré, which seized power in a 2022 coup and has since moved to curb opposition, trade unions and public assembly.

In recent months, the government has escalated its campaign against organised civil society. A law introduced last year imposed new restrictions on the operations of rights groups, followed by suspensions and revocations of permits for dozens of organisations on administrative grounds. Earlier this year, political parties were formally dissolved after a prolonged suspension.

Officials have framed the measures as necessary to enforce regulatory compliance, with territorial administration minister Emile Zerbo warning that any breach of the new rules would be met with legal sanctions.

Human rights organisations have sharply criticised the move. Amnesty International described the dissolutions as a “flagrant attack” on freedom of association and warned of an intensifying crackdown on civic space in the Sahel state.

Analysts see the latest decree as part of a broader strategy to consolidate authority and limit dissent, as the government continues to confront a protracted insurgency linked to groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Authorities have repeatedly accused some internationally funded organisations of acting as conduits for foreign interference, a claim civil society actors strongly deny.

The dissolutions underscore the increasingly fraught relationship between the state and civil society in Burkina Faso, where the boundaries of political participation continue to narrow under military rule.

An opposition MP in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has requested a parliamentary debate over a reported agreement to receive deportees from the United States, triggering political backlash and civil society opposition amid heightened insecurity and institutional strain.

Christian Mwando Simba, a member of parliament and opposition figure, submitted an oral question to the National Assembly calling on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to appear before lawmakers and publicly explain the rationale and legal basis for accepting deportees from the US.

He questioned the relevance of the arrangement at a time when parts of the country remain affected by armed conflict, widespread insecurity, and what he described as weakening state capacity.

The intervention follows reporting that Congo is preparing to receive a group of deportees from the United States, all of whom are said to be nationals of third countries, not Congolese citizens. The move has been framed by officials as part of broader migration cooperation with Washington, which has increasingly sought agreements with African states to facilitate removals of individuals whose countries of origin are difficult to access directly.

However, the proposal has drawn criticism domestically. The civil society platform “Forces vives” has firmly rejected the idea of hosting migrants expelled from the United States, warning of social and political risks linked to the arrangement.

Jean-Bosco Lalo, speaking for the group, called on Congolese citizens to “stand united” against what he described as a measure that could prove “harmful” to the country’s long-term future.

The controversy underscores growing sensitivity in Kinshasa around migration policy being shaped through external agreements, particularly in a context where the state is already managing security pressures in eastern provinces and broader governance challenges.

Authorities have maintained that any arrangement falls within international cooperation frameworks and is limited in scope, but pressure is mounting for formal parliamentary scrutiny and public clarification.