Kigali, 16 March 2018: African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, today, to take part in the African Union Extraordinary Summit on the African Continental Free Trade Area, on 21 March 2018, as well as in preparatory meetings at the level of the Permanent Representatives Committee and the Executive Council. He will also take part in the Business Forum that will be held on the margins of the Summit, and take the opportunity to interact with private sector representatives.

The Kigali Extraordinary Summit was agreed to during the ordinary session of the Assembly of the Union held in Addis Ababa in late January 2018. The Free Trade Area is one of the flagship projects of the First Ten-Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063 and aims to deepen the integration process. It is being driven forward along with other key related initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and the African Passport.

During his visit, the Chairperson of the Commission will hold consultations with a number of Heads of State and Government on other important aspects of the African agenda, including peace and security and the institutional reform of the African Union.