Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement: Assessing the readiness of countries and implications for capacity building

The 7th Africa Think Tank Summit was held virtually on 18–19 November 2020, convened by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), under the theme "Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement: Assessing the readiness of countries and implications for capacity building." Held online amid the COVID-19 pandemic — which had delayed the AfCFTA's planned July 2020 start of trading — the summit convened think tanks, policymakers, and development partners to assess country readiness for AfCFTA implementation and the capacity-building needs it implies. Sessions examined the pandemic's implications for the AfCFTA, determinants of country readiness, capacity issues at continental and country levels, the role of SMEs and think tanks, and partnership and coordination mechanisms.