The President of Botswana has urged African nations to move beyond signing trade agreements and begin delivering concrete economic results, warning that low levels of trade within the continent continue to hold back growth.
Speaking at the official opening of the 66th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo on Thursday, Duma Gideon Boko said Africa must translate policy frameworks into practical action.
The event was attended by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and senior government officials from across the region.
Describing the trade fair as a “cornerstone for trade, investment and industrial collaboration” for more than six decades, President Boko said this year’s theme, “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries”, reflected the urgency of strengthening regional cooperation.
He said African countries must work together to unlock the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“This year’s theme is instructive and timely,” he said. “While national ambition is essential, regional collaboration is indispensable if we are to realise the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement. We must leverage each other’s strengths in developing regional and global value chains.”
President Boko expressed concern that intra-African trade remains at about 15%, a level he described as unacceptably low.
“We are not trading with each other enough,” he said. “The imperative before us is clear, we must transition from frameworks to function, from agreement to action, from word to deed.”
He warned that continued dependence on external markets leaves African economies exposed to global instability.
“In this increasingly volatile global environment, our reliance on imported commodities renders our economies vulnerable to external shocks,” he said.
The Botswana leader called on countries to shift away from exporting raw materials and instead invest in value-added industries capable of generating jobs and strengthening economic resilience.
“We must harness our abundant natural resources to build competitive, value-added industries that generate employment, stimulate innovation and strengthen economic resilience,” he said.
He identified mining beneficiation, agro-processing, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and the digital economy as priority sectors requiring deliberate investment.
President Boko also stressed the importance of innovation, saying Africa’s competitiveness would depend on how effectively it embraces the knowledge economy.
“This is a knowledge-age economy. We need to deploy capital, mobilise it and enlist it in the service of innovation,” he said.
He revealed that during a recent Binational Commission meeting in Harare, he and President Mnangagwa agreed on the need to urgently remove barriers hindering trade and investment between their countries.
Non-tariff barriers, including customs inefficiencies, regulatory misalignment, administrative bottlenecks and infrastructure deficits, were cited as major obstacles increasing the cost of doing business in the region.
“We must remove these barriers as a matter of urgency,” he said.
President Boko added that Botswana was investing heavily in roads, rail and air transport systems to improve regional connectivity and facilitate smoother trade flows.
His remarks come as African governments step up efforts to operationalise the AfCFTA, widely viewed as a key instrument for boosting intra-continental trade and accelerating industrialisation.