Tackles challenges of AfCFTA trade regime implementation

The stage is set for the hosting of the sixth edition of the National Tourism Transport Summit and Expo, a tourism and transportation industry combined event of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), in collaboration with Ministries of Transportation, Aviation, Information and Culture the in the series of the programs to deepen awareness in critical areas of the industry.

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The event, which comes up on Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th of May, 2023 at the Abuja International Conference Centre – Abuja, with the theme AfCFTA: EXPLORING INTRA AFRICAN TRADE, TOURISM AND TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES AND MITIGATING THE BARRIERS TO COLLABORATION, will focus on the challenges and solutions to the realization of the dream for an all-inclusive trading partnerships for the countries of the African Continent as an entity of a singular market in the implementation of the AfCFTA regime.

In a statement made available to Freelanews and signed by the National President ITPN/Chairman Inter-Ministerial Committee, NTTSummit 2023, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, the organizers said the choice of the theme is to reaffirm the need for collaborative synergy among implementers of the AfCFTA protocols as the cardinal step to overcoming the obstacles and barriers for a successful implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, noting that the Summit will come up with a template for international cooperation and partnership within the African continent that will improve and strengthen the basic conditions necessary for the successful implementation of AfCFTA.

Participants at the two-day event will be drawn from major key players and stakeholders in the transportation and tourism sectors such as the air transportation; i.e. airlines, tour and travel operators, administrators of the aviation industry; the maritime industry which includes sea transport, boats and sea cruising operators; Road Transportation including major transport owners, car hire services, Uber, Road Traffic and Safety Agencies including the FRSC, Motor Insurance Companies; State Transport Ministries and Agencies; Rail Transport Services.

Others are operators of the Tourism and Hospitality industry including tourism resort operators, National Parks Services; museums and monuments, State Tourism Ministries and Boards, Festivals and tourism events managers; Hoteliers, Restaurants and fast food operators; conferences and events managers; as well as service providers in the banking, insurance, oil and gas industries.

Quite a number of interesting and critical sub themes to address challenges in the implementation of the AfCFTA Protocols have been lined up with experts and professional speakers assigned the task of coming up with ways and means of mitigating these challenges, which it is hoped that participants at this year’s event will benefit immensely from the objectives of the Summit and Expo.

The Sub Themes are: *Powering AfCFTA Regime Implementation Through Digital and Technological Innovation Strategies; *Actualizing Africa’s Open Skies Agreement in Consonance with AfCFTA Regime Implementation; *Maintaining Resilient Infrastructures for Sustainable Trade and Transportation, Tourism with AfCFTA Regime; *Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and the AfCFTA Agreement; *Finance; Banking and Insurance Sectors, Strategic Partners in the Implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement and *AfCFTA Regime Efficacy: The Role of Gate Keepers in Quality Products and Service Delivery.

Others are: *Blue Economy, Panacea to Sustainable Development of Trades and Transportation of AfCFTA; *Strategic Architectural Approach in Cross Border Security Management in AfCFTA Regime Implementation; *Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potentials: A Sectorial Approach; *Enhanced Media Reportage: Partnership for AfCFTA Awareness and Implementation; *Skill Acquisition, Key Element for Labour Mobility in AfCFTA Implementation; *Reaping the AfCFTA Potentials through Functional Entrepreneurial and SME Operations and *Africa Business Roundtable, Critical Partners in Driving the AfCFTA Implementation

Lead Speakers expected at the two-day event are; Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NiTDA); Managing Director, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Managing Director, Nigeria Export – Import Bank (NEXIM); Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, (NCS); Executive Vice Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Others are: Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR); Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, (NTDA), Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON); Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Collaborating Federal Ministries will have their Ministers give remarks as host ministers with the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika as Host Aviation Minister; Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, Host Transportation Minster; Alhaji Muhammad Bello, Host City Minister and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Host Information and Culture Minister.

Also expected to make presentations at the summit are Heads and Chief Executive Officers of Departments and Agencies at both Federal and state levels, as well as Chief Executive Officers of Corporate Organizations, Organized Private Sector, NGOs and Heads of Foreign Missions and Embassies in Nigeria who will deliver goodwill messages

The National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo has since inception in 2018, offered the platform for public and private sector stakeholders, producers and consumers in Nigeria and the African Continent to come together, share ideas, experiences, exchange knowledge and showcase their skills in the growth, development and promotion of the nation’s economic endowments, this time, by promoting the ideals of the AfCFTA Agreements and leveraging on it.

The Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo programme will feature Host City Walk, Tourism Transport Summit, Exhibition-B2B and G2B sessions, Tourism Transport Membership and Fellowship inductions, Launch of the Compendium of all Communiques of the Summit 2018 – 2022 and The Gala Night which will also feature Awards to deserving stakeholders in the industry.