Model AfCFTA Negotiations

If the AfCFTA magic is to happen and the promises are to become a reality for African Youth, the youth should be at the centre of its implementation. Challenges highlighted in the African Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment 2019-2023 like inadequate engagement of young people that impeded effective implementation of AU agreements need to be addressed.

So youth platforms like the Model African Union Conference (MAU) become key engagement strategies to get African youth involved in the AfCFTA implementation processes starting with the negotiations on the Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.

It is against this backdrop that the Model African Continental Free Trade Area Negotiations seeks to be implemented.

OBJECTIVES OF THE MODEL AfCFTA NEGOTIATIONS

●To enhance the capacity of young people at the community level to lead local AfCFTA engagement.

●To deepen the participants’ understanding of the AfCFTA negotiation process, priorities and functions, as well as its youth engagement strategy, through the simulation of the Model AfCFTA negotiations

●To understand the challenges, barriers to and opportunities for young traders in Africa.

●To train a cohort of young leaders who will serve as trainers on youth engagement at the community level.

●To create an inclusive environment for consultations for the upcoming protocol on Women and Youth in Trade.

●Finally, to formulate and deploy a comprehensive and targeted approach to community peer-to-peer engagement, and a reporting mechanism to the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat.

METHODOLOGY

The Model AfCFTA Negotiations will be held both physically and virtually. 10 to 15 persons (Trade Officials) will be recruited to serve as trainers while 55 to 110 young people will be recruited to serve as participants.

The MAN will be held in three phases:

•Phase 1 (Pre-Summit)

•Phase 2 (During the Actual Simulation)

•Phase 3 (Post-Summit)

PARTICIPANTS SELECTION

The Model AfCFTA Negotiations attendance ranges from 55 to 110 young people, from each AU Member State. The 110 participants will be selected through an open call and attendance will be both virtual and physical. The selection process may be handled by officials affiliated with the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and/or any relevant stakeholder.

The following criteria may guide selection:

Participants must:

•Be from an AU member state;

•Be between the ages of 18 and 35;

•Be proficient in one or more AU working language(s) (English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Portuguese);

•Be keen in learning trade-related information, most especially the AfCFTA

•Demonstrate experience in convening and engaging young people at community level, and/or experience in leadership and civic engagement.

NOTE: The first Cohort of participants will be pre-selected from of the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA) structures. This is because they have established Country Chapters in all AU Member States and recruited 10 youth per country championing the AfCFTA.

Mother And Sub Mother Entities

Insititutional Framework

ICOYACA Overview

AfCFTA SECRETARIAT AND ICOYACA ENGAGEMENT

What is the AfCFTA?

Event

News & Press Releases

Model AfCFTA Negotiations