The first-ever Conference on Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for Higher Education Integration wrapped up in Yaoundé, Cameroon on April 8, bringing together policymakers, university leaders, researchers, and development partners from across Africa and Europe. Co-organized by OBREAL, the Pan African University, the Association of African Universities, and hosted by IRIC, the conference marked a groundbreaking step in aligning Africa’s economic integration with its higher education agenda.
Over two dynamic days, participants explored how the AfCFTA can serve as a catalyst for transforming African higher education—fostering academic mobility, mutual recognition of qualifications, investment in research, and skills development aligned with Africa’s industrial and innovation goals. High-level speakers, including H.E. Selma Malika Haddadi of the African Union Commission and Prof. Usman Bakri of AAU, underscored the urgency of harmonizing education policy with trade policy to support inclusive, sustainable development.
The program featured thematic panels, expert-led sessions, and over 20 academic paper presentations, all addressing critical intersections between higher education and trade. A strong call emerged for training programs that raise awareness among policymakers and civil servants, and for platforms that facilitate multilingual, inclusive, and Africa-centered knowledge production.
As a key moment before the closing ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Tertiary Education, Science and Research of Mauritius, Dr. Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, delivered a powerful address underscoring the need to rethink traditional silos between higher education and vocational training, calling for greater innovation through university–industry collaboration. The closing ceremony—jointly led by the Association of African Universities (AAU), OBREAL, and the AfCFTA Secretariat—reinforced a shared commitment to long-term collaboration. Participants emphasized the need for massive sensitization, continuous knowledge generation, and stronger inclusion of indigenous African knowledge in trade, innovation, and education. The EU’s continued support—through programs like HAQAA, Erasmus+, and the African Continental Qualifications Framework—was recognized as instrumental in building a sustainable, integrated education ecosystem that reflects and reinforces Africa’s development goals.
