Kenya announced last week the launch of two new digital platforms, BiasharaLink and Deal House, designed to boost economic diplomacy and intensify trade between African countries.
Unveiled on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between trade commitments and their effective implementation, at a time when African leaders are calling for accelerated operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The two tools were developed by Real Sources Africa, a pan-African organization specializing in trade infrastructure, recognized by Nairobi as a national trading company within the AfCFTA framework. The objective is to mobilize the potential of more than 1,000 African diplomatic missions by repositioning them as active facilitators of business.
In detail, BiasharaLink will enable embassies, exporters, and investors to identify and structure opportunities aligned with the priorities of the Free Trade Area. Meanwhile, Deal House will handle operational follow-up, from project validation and matching with reliable partners to facilitating access to financing and providing support through to contract finalization.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, described the system as “a new results-oriented model of economic diplomacy.”
According to Real Sources Africa, African diplomatic missions receive nearly 3,500 trade inquiries each month, yet less than 1% result in formal agreements, highlighting the need for a more effective monitoring and execution mechanism.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Wamkele Mene, emphasized the importance of strengthening Africa’s internal market amid growing disruptions in global supply chains.
Finally, the initiative places particular emphasis on integrating SMEs and women-led businesses into regional value chains, with the ambition of translating continental integration goals into concrete transactions that generate jobs and economic growth.
