AfYEF and SUCWA Sign Landmark Cooperation Agreement to Advance African Youth Enterprise Under AfCFTA
The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF) and the Sudanese Coordination in West Africa (SUCWA) today signed a General Cooperation Agreement to unlock cross-border trade, investment, and enterprise opportunities for young Africans, with special focus on Sudanese youth in the West African diaspora.
The signing ceremony, held at Tag Palace Hotel in Accra, was witnessed by Nadir Ibrahim Ahmed Abdulrahim, Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Accra, whose presence underscored the diplomatic significance of the youth-led partnership.
In his welcome address, Hissan Siita Sofo (Malti Naa I), President of AfYEF, described the agreement as “not merely ceremonial, but strategic,” stating that it serves as “a bridge between peoples united by a shared African destiny.”
We are living in a defining moment for our continent,” Siita Sofo said. “We are often told that we are the future. But I always ask a simple question: when is the future? If the future is always ahead of us, then it never comes. The truth is this: the future is now.”
He emphasized that African youth must “organise ourselves, collaborate, and take responsibility for our own success—because no one will do it for us.”
Strategic Framework for Youth Enterprise
The General Cooperation Agreement establishes a structured framework for collaboration, access, and empowerment between AfYEF and SUCWA. Under the agreement, SUCWA members will be integrated into key AfYEF platforms, including:
1. The Catalyst Show – A Pan-African enterprise platform designed to identify, fund, and scale Africa’s most promising youth-led businesses. The program features a $100,000 catalytic prize fund and a diaspora investment matchmaking system aimed at redirecting a portion of Africa’s over $100 billion in annual remittances from consumption into productive investment.
2. The BIGEF Business Surgery Framework – A structured support system designed to move entrepreneurs from idea to investment readiness.
“Our goal is simple: no young entrepreneur left behind under AfCFTA,” Siita Sofo stated.
Call for Continental Youth Action
Addressing Sudanese and African youth directly, the AfYEF President issued a call to action: “Do not stand on the margins of Africa’s transformation. Step into it. Africa will not be built by governments alone. It will be built by entrepreneurs, innovators, and builders across this continent. This partnership opens the door. Walk through it.”
Siita Sofo also used the occasion to announce his recent appointment as Secretary-General of the Virtual Assets and Service Providers Association (VASPA), a continental advocacy platform advancing Africa’s blockchain and virtual assets ecosystem. He noted that the role, alongside his positions on Ghana’s National Sports Museum Committee and Creative Arts Agency Board Committee, reflects a broader shift: “African youth are no longer waiting to be included; we are stepping forward to lead.”
He further disclosed that he will speak at the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Brazzaville on 28th May 2026, representing African youth in development financing discussions. AfYEF is a proud contributor to the AfDB Civil Society Platform and chaired the Bank’s Youth Programme at the 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan.
Appreciation
Siita Sofo extended gratitude to SUCWA President Alamin A. Durmus for his vision and partnership, to the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan for its continued support, and to the executives of AfYEF for their commitment to the continental mission.
The Africa we want will not happen by chance—it will be built deliberately,” he concluded. “Today, we take a step forward. Let us sign this agreement. Let us launch The Catalyst movement. And let us build Africa—together.”
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