Vera Songwe advocates AfCFTA, digital identity, investment opportunities and strengthened partnerships at UNGA side events

Abstract

The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe concluded a productive series of engagements in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Ms. Songwe engaged high-level participants and sessions, speaking on the Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), digital identity, investment opportunities and strengthened partnerships. Ms. Songwe also addressed the African Leaders Roundtable on Identification for Development side event, which discussed the need to reach “the invisible billion and provide digital opportunities for all.” She noted that 542 million Africans, who currently live without identities. Many of them are young people. As such, she said, “Digital identity is about empowering individuals and protecting their rights. Countries that proactively create digital identities provide citizens with a secure and fast way to access e-services, thus accelerating access to financial inclusion, economic opportunities, mobile access and connectivity, government services and democratic processes.” At a high-level side event on how inclusive and sustainable industrial development can support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, Ms. Songwe stressed, “if the AfCFTA is to catalyze Africa’s industrialization through integrated markets then bridging infrastructure gaps and digitalizing economies across the continent is critical.”Ms. Songwe also held a number of bilateral meetings aimed at fostering strong partnerships between the ECA and partners in the area of digital identification. She noted that 95% percent of all transactions in Africa are cash based. Leveraging the AfCFTA will require robust digital ID and payment systems. In this regard, Ms. Songwe met with Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and discussed Africa’s digital identity and his participation in ECA’s Advisory Board on Digital Identity.