AfCFTA Secretariat Hosts Private Sector Hearings, PAPSS Briefing on the Margins of G20 Summit

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has convened the Africa Private Sector Hearings (APSH) Pilot Session and a High-Level Briefing on the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

The sessions aim to advance the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement while promoting Africa’s coordinated contribution to global economic discussions. They also provide a platform to showcase the continent’s progress in building predictable trading systems and strengthening integration.

H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said the engagements highlight Africa’s unified approach to trade and investment. “The APSH and PAPSS engagements demonstrate Africa’s commitment to building transparent, predictable and efficient systems that support trade, investment and payment connectivity across the continent,” he noted.

The APSH Pilot Session, organised with the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), offered African enterprises the opportunity to share insights on trade facilitation challenges, logistics constraints, and market expansion opportunities. Kebour Ghenna, Executive Director of PACCI, emphasized that private sector participation is critical for AfCFTA’s success, providing practical perspectives to inform policy implementation.

Meanwhile, the High-Level Briefing on PAPSS, convened jointly with Afreximbank, brought together South African financial sector stakeholders to discuss the system’s role in enabling efficient, secure cross-border payments. PAPSS CEO Mike Ogbalu III described the initiative as a “modern and reliable payment and settlement infrastructure” aligned with the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-Border Payments, vital for supporting AfCFTA’s integration objectives.

The two events underscore Africa’s coordinated approach to strengthening trade governance, improving payment connectivity, and enhancing participation in regional and global value chains. Outcomes from the sessions will inform AfCFTA institutional structures and guide the 2026 implementation programme.