The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) recently convened journalists from across Africa and beyond for a webinar to strengthen public understanding, foster trust, and empower the media to play an active role in championing AfCFTA protocols. Titled “From Negotiation to Implementation: Empowering the Media to Champion AfCFTA,” the session focused on bridging the gap between policy formulation and public awareness, highlighting the role of journalists in interpreting and communicating key developments.
Hosted via Zoom by Samuel Agyeman of the AfCFTA media team, the webinar was conducted under the leadership of Cynthia E. Gnassingbe-Essonam, AfCFTA Secretariat serving as Director of Private Sector Engagement & Communications, and Dr. Tsotetsi Makong (PhD), Director of Coordination and Programmes at the Secretariat. The session provided participants with an in-depth overview of the organisation’s ongoing implementation processes, recent organisational changes, and practical insights on AfCFTA protocol execution.
The webinar was designed to familiarize media professionals with both the strategic and operational aspects of AfCFTA, equipping them to report accurately on the agreement’s impact on African economies, businesses, and communities. By engaging journalists in this way, AfCFTA aims to strengthen the connection between policy and public discourse, ensuring media coverage reflects both the opportunities and challenges presented by Africa’s largest trade agreement.