A continental consensus has emerged on transforming Special Economic Zones (SEZs) from isolated investment hubs into integrated drivers of pan-African trade, following decisive policy commitments at the inaugural Regional Conference on SEZs in Djibouti.
The April 21-22 gathering, co-hosted by the AfCFTA Secretariat and Djibouti’s government, produced two landmark agreements that could reshape Africa’s industrial landscape.
Delegates from across Africa endorsed a Ministerial Regulation granting AfCFTA Rules of Origin status to SEZ-manufactured goods, resolving years of regulatory ambiguity that previously constrained intra-continental trade. This breakthrough is complemented by a commitment to harmonize national SEZ policies with AfCFTA protocols, creating a unified framework for cross-border industrial operations.
“The AfCFTA is our antidote to global trade fragmentation,” stated Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, positioning SEZs as critical platforms for operationalizing Africa’s 1.3 billion-person market. The conference spotlighted Djibouti’s transformative logistics hub as a model, with Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed emphasizing how strategic geography combined with integrated policies can generate continental spillover effects.
The recalibrated strategy introduces three key operational mechanisms: the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System to facilitate transactions, the Adjustment Fund to support implementation costs, and digital tools to dismantle non-tariff barriers. This tripartite approach addresses longstanding challenges that have previously undermined SEZ effectiveness, including payment inefficiencies and bureaucratic obstacles.
As over two dozen African nations now operate SEZs under varying standards, the Djibouti consensus marks a decisive shift from fragmented national approaches to coordinated continental industrialization. The success of this realignment will ultimately depend on sustained political will and private sector engagement to build resilient regional value chains that can compete in an increasingly polarized global economy. Early implementation will be closely watched as a litmus test for Africa’s ability to translate policy innovation into tangible industrial transformation.
