Day: February 18, 2026

Talks Aim at Collaboration on Free Movement of People, Goods and Services Across Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 2026 — The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) and Ethiopian Airlines Monday held talks at the Headquarters of Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa to explore a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the Make Africa Borderless Now! agenda.

The campaign seeks to persuade African governments to implement the various economic integration-focused treaties and protocols which they have already adopted but remain slow to implement.

These include the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment Protocol and the Single Africa Air Transport Market Protocol, both adopted in 2018.

The discussions, which build on engagements that began last year, focused on how the two parties can work together to promote the free movement of people, goods, and services across Africa, with air transport recognised as a critical enabler of the continent’s economic integration and a key driver of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

During the meeting, which both sides described as positive, APN invited Africa’s biggest airline to become a major partner in the movement launched in Accra this February to mobilise 10 million signatures calling for, among others, free movement across Africa, a visa-free travel for Africans across Africa, and implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol.

Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the Executive Chairman, APN, stressed the need to get African central banks and regulators to enable continent-wide mobile money interoperability to allow Africans to buy and sell across borders simply using their mobile money wallets.

Mesfin Tasew, the Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, welcomed it, saying it would give a major boost to intra-African trade and air cargo volumes in Africa.

The engagement reflects the growing momentum behind the Make Africa Borderless Now! movement and the shared commitment to translating Africa’s integration ambitions into practical, continent-wide outcomes. Further meetings are expected to define the scope of the potential collaboration.

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About the Make Africa Borderless Now! Movement

The Make Africa Borderless Now! movement is a transformative initiative driving towards the realisation of a unified African market. By advocating for the elimination of barriers to trade, travel, and economic activity, the movement seeks to unlock Africa’s full economic potential and improve the quality of life for all Africans, both on the continent and across the diaspora.

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Africa Prosperity Network

The Africa Prosperity Network is a leading Pan-African organisation dedicated to advancing economic integration, sustainable development, and shared prosperity across the African continent. Through strategic initiatives, thought leadership, and collaborative partnerships, the Network works to create an enabling environment for Africa’s economic transformation.

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For More Enquiries, contact:

Africa Prosperity Network, Communication Directorate

Tel: +233 20 136 9105

Email: comms@africaprosperity.network
Web: www.africaprosperitynetwork.com

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SIGNED:

Africa Prosperity Network – Communication Directorate

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