Journalists for Trade and Development in Africa Inaugurated

The Second African Trade Forum (ATF II) organised by the Africa Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) brought together stakeholders in trade in Africa and development partners to discuss the way forward for the establishment of a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).

The Forum, sought to build on the current political expression of support for the continental trade agenda as agreed by two Summits of Heads of State and Government of Africa held this year on the same theme. The stakeholders represented a broad base of actors in academia, business, policy-makers, finance, non-governmental organizations, as well as the media. In the recommendations the conference agreed that, the establishment of the CFTA agenda is government driven, but it would require the participation of civil society actors, private sector, parliamentarians and development partners.

And as part of their commitment to promoting the trade and development agenda, journalists attending the Forum formed a network they named, Journalists for Trade and Development in Africa (J-Trade Africa) on September 24, 2012. J-Trade Africa's mission is to promote trade in Africa with a key focus on the continental free trade area.

The network will seek to build members' capacity on trade issues as well as organise workshops and training in other African countries to build the capacity of journalists on the continent to report and write on trade issues.