With AfCFTA, Oyo Positions to Attract Investments, Creates Enabling Environment for International Trade

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Oyo State, under the leadership of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, would soon become a hub of international investments and trades, Special Adviser to the Governor on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) and International Trade, Neo Theodore Tlhaselo, has said.

Tlhaselo, who was appointed by the governor last Thursday, maintained that she would deploy her rich experience in international trade and business development towards ensuring the realisation of the implementation of AfCFTA in Oyo State.

According to her, this vision would align with the realisation of Makinde’s Omituntun 2.0 Sustainable Development Agenda, as the state would be able to develop a sub-national AfCFTA Implementation Strategy that would create a competitive edge for it in the face of Africa’s single market agenda.

Tlhaselo, who is an International Trade , Business Development and Communications expert of over 15 years experience and founder/CEO of Conversation With Africa, an organisation promoting the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063, said she would equally help the state to develop supporting instruments  and strategic frameworks towards the vision of sustainable economy for the state.

She maintained that apart from her organisation being endorsed by the AfCFTA Secretariat, she is also the founder of The Business Kraal, a media company and consultancy company, and that her wealth of experience would be brought to bear in delivering Makinde’s agenda to develop Oyo State sustainably.

She said, “I appreciate the Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, for the opportunity given to me to work with him in delivering sustainable development in Oyo State.

“As an International Trade, Business Development and Communications expert of over 15 years’ experience, rendering expertise across government agencies, diplomatic institutions, private sector, amongst others, in Africa and globally, this opportunity will help us to bring about the realisation of the implementation of the AfCFTA within Oyo State in alignment with the realisation of the Omituntun 2.0 Agenda of the governor.

“This we will achieve through developing a sub-national AfCFTA Implementation Strategy in which we will bring forward a competitive edge for Oyo State in the face of  Africa’s single market agenda beveloping supporting  instruments  and strategic frameworks  towards the achievement of that objective.

“Through this office, we will explore more global relations to attract investment and create an enabling environment for the realisation of international trade, cultivate and cement relations with diverse and targeted strategic partners in the region and internationally for the broader achievement of creating a sustainable economy for the Pacesetter State.

“I do believe that a multilateral approach through Economic Diplomacy will be an imperative tactic for achieving the vision for the state and Economic Diplomacy has been one of my areas of practice and expertise as evident by the latest National Economic Diplomacy Campaign and Foreign Policy Forum in which I was one of the primary contributors to its conceptualisation and implementation, as I spearheaded its rollout in Botswana.

“We will also explore the strategic opportunity my organisation ‘Conversation with Africa’s’ endorsement as a think-tank organisation at the AfCFTA Secretariat-African Union, as well as my recognition as an expert facilitator and technical expert at the AfCFTA Secretariat-African Union consultative forums to Oyo State’s advantage by deploying the wealth of expertise, regional and global network for the benefit of the state.”