Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa. Simon covers President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the U.S. government, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington D.C. and New York City.
The African Union Commission Department of Economic Development, Trade, Industry and, Mining, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Electronic Trade Group (AeTrade), as a framework of cooperation on the implementation of the digital capacity building initiatives in AU member states including the Sokokuu platform, as an enabler for SMEs, women, and youth to access regional, continental, and global markets. The operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is an opportunity for Africa to make meaningful economic progress towards electronic trade and the adoption of technological tools to enhance efficiencies in governance with the support and participation of the private sector. The collaboration will enhance efforts to digitalize trade in Africa at a larger scale by encouraging impact investment in small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to create more jobs for the growing youth population and generate wealth across the continent.