Africa presents a largely underrecognised opportunity, a UN official said on Friday, stressing that deeper trade integration and increased investment could turn the continent into a global hub.
Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the UN special representative for Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, highlighted the importance of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area and scaling up investments.
“The creation of a continental free trade area and increasing investments will make Africa an attractive destination,” Tetteh said at a panel titled, “Investing in Africa's Future: Strategy, Scale and Competitiveness” at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.
She pointed to financing as a key challenge, noting that access to affordable, long-term funding remains critical to enhancing Africa’s competitiveness, and added that showcasing successful projects could demonstrate the viability of scalable initiatives for public and private sectors.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe said Africa is rich in human and natural resources but has faced challenges in decision-making.
He underlined that with the right investments, the continent could achieve real prosperity, describing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a “turning point” in this process.
The panel also featured Uganda’s Foreign Minister Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Zambia’s Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe, Sao Tome and Principe’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Eliza Maria Amado Vaz, and AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene.
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