A renowned tourism practitioner, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, has urged business leaders and other stakeholders to use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) project to elevate Africa’s cultural economy.
Kiyaramo gave the advice in Yenagoa on Friday when he received in his office, Mr. Udokop Nsima, the Civic Society Coordinator on AfCFTA Awareness Campaign.
He said that the AfCFTA agreement, ratified in 2021, promised a broader economic integration to attract investments to Africa.
He said that the project would also boost trade, provide better jobs, reduce poverty, and increase shared prosperity on the continent.
Kiyaramo, who is also an aide to Bayelsa Gov. Duoye Diri on Tourism, said that the pillar of Africa’s economy and its identity and livelihood depended on the unique and varied cultural sectors such as entertainment, fashion, art, and craft.
He said that Africa’s cultural economy needed much attention, considering its potential to provide additional value to the economic growth and development of African countries.
Kiyaramo described the AfCFTA initiative as a milestone.
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He said that there was a need for cohesion and interconnectivity among African countries to get the best from the initiative.
He called for collaborations between the private sector and governments across the continent to champion and provide financial support for Africa-wide cultural programming inspired by AfCFTA’s goal of greater regional integration.
“These activities would serve to engage the public and further build on the concept of pan-African identity,” Kiyaramo said.
Earlier, Nsima briefed Kiyaramo on AfCFTA Awareness Campaign’s proposal to Bayelsa State Government to host AfCFTA Awareness Football Tournament.
Nsima said that the kickoff ceremony was proposed to take place on June 22.
According to him, hosting the tournament will grant the state an opportunity to showcase its investment potential.
“This is an opportunity to bring AfCFTA awareness closer to Bayelsa people to ensure businessmen in the state are better integrated into the value chains, jobs, and opportunities stemming from AfCFTA,’’ he said.
