Forum in Abuja Addresses African Economies Amid Crises

On Thursday in Abuja, a forum organized by TrustAfrica and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) focused on measures to protect African economies from the fallout of global crises. The discussion, led by former UN Secretary-General's Executive Secretary Abdouli Janneh, emphasized the need for African nations to strengthen their resilience against global shocks.

Janneh noted that conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, have disrupted grain supplies to countries like Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, exacerbating inflation and food insecurity. Former Tunisian Minister of Economy and Finance Hakim Hammouda warned that existing structural challenges in key sectors like agriculture and industry would worsen due to these global crises.

The forum called for innovative policies and stronger engagement between governments and civil society to address these issues. Participants, including CDD West Africa's Garuba Dauda and Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, stressed the importance of prioritizing intra-African trade through the African Continental Free Trade Agreement to minimize the impact of external conflicts.