Swazi Observer

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KING LAUDS AUC FOR AETRADE OPPORTUNITIES

By NOKUZOLA THWALA | 2020-07-07

HIS Majesty King Mswati III has lauded the African Union Commission (AUC) for the African Electronic Trade (AeTrade) opportunities.

He is expected to make his keynote address today on the occasion of the first virtual Africa Integration Day and the launch of the African e-Commerce platform. The King noted that these opportunities by the AeTrade Group will offer digital solutions and innovations targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.

“This is why I wish to commend the African Union Commission for organising this week long series of events which are bringing private sector stakeholders closer to the mother body, the African Union. “We believe that all African stakeholders should work-together to shape our digital transformation using the means that are at our disposal.

We should not wait or hesitate to do so,” he stated. The King also commended the social enterprise approach of the AeTrade Group to uplift all Africans so that they can be meaningful players in the digital economy.

He said it was equally important to harness the potential of public-private partnerships at all levels in order to be resilient enough to advance the continent’s development agenda. Okandaba welcomed all ideas from the continent and said it was important to be organised, coordinated in order to avoid duplication of efforts and resources and to reach tangible results in the most efficient manner.

“This is so much more necessary in light of the global pandemic we are faced with,” he said. His Majesty also applauded Rwanda President Paul Kagame for the role he played in advancing the AU Reform Agenda as the efforts are starting to bear fruits.

He also commended Guinea President Alpha Conde for his leadership of the initiative in West Africa. “We are united in our conviction that we need African designed and led solutions to solve our continental problems for the ‘Africa we want’.

We can only rest when all 55 countries are on board and created a truly integrated marketplace,” he said.

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