Equatorial Guinea trains border staff for African trade zone
A workshop in Malabo aimed to equip customs and trade officials with skills to boost cross-border commerce.
A training seminar for border personnel on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) concluded in Malabo on October 31. The workshop, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, focused on improving the technical abilities of officials involved in trade procedures.
Vice Minister of Trade Avelino Mocache stated that Equatorial Guinea ratified the AfCFTA agreement in 2019 and must now implement it effectively. He emphasized that national institutions and actors need the capacity to understand and apply the agreement's provisions to benefit from African trade integration. Mocache noted this was the first national workshop specifically for border staff, including customs and trade inspectors.
UNDP Resident Representative Betty Wabunoha highlighted the need for efficient customs procedures and trained professionals to ensure products from Equatorial Guinea can reach other African markets. She stressed that the AfCFTA's success depends on effective and barrier-free trade operations, not just the signing of an agreement.
Why it mattersEquatorial Guinea's border officials are being trained to facilitate trade and improve access for national products to other African markets under the AfCFTA.