Africa offers untapped opportunities, needs investment, integration: UN envoy

Africa presents a largely underrecognized opportunity, a UN official said on Friday, stressing that deeper trade integration and increased investment could turn the continent into a global hub.

Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, the UN special representative for Libya and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, highlighted the importance of establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area and scaling up investments.

“The creation of a continental free trade area and increasing investments will make Africa an attractive destination,” Tetteh said at a panel titled, “Investing in Africa's Future: Strategy, Scale and Competitiveness” at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026.

She pointed to financing as a key challenge, noting that access to affordable, long-term funding remains critical to enhancing Africa’s competitiveness, and added that showcasing successful projects could demonstrate the viability of scalable initiatives for public and private sectors.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister Muhyiddin Salim said the forum provided an important platform to shed light on Africa’s potential, which is often overshadowed by narratives of conflict and poverty.

He noted that 60% of Africa’s population is made up of young people and highlighted Sudan’s wealth in agriculture, livestock, minerals, oil and gas.

Salim also said that the civil war in Sudan, which continues since April 2023, is partly driven by competition over natural resources, emphasizing that stronger economic integration and cooperation among African countries could create a solid investment environment for regional and international partners.

He stressed the importance of effectively managing natural resources and building genuine partnerships, while warning that external actors may pursue differing agendas.

Strengthening intra-African cooperation, he added, is therefore essential.

Referring to Sudan’s strategic location, Salim said it could serve as a key gateway for Africa, particularly given tensions in the Red Sea, noting its more than 800 kilometers (497 miles) of coastline.

He added that ending the war would open up significant opportunities for investors.

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe said Africa is rich in human and natural resources, but has faced challenges in decision-making.

He underlined that with the right investments, the continent could achieve real prosperity, describing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a “turning point” in this process.

The panel also featured Uganda’s Foreign Minister Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Zambia’s Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe, Sao Tome and Principe’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Eliza Maria Amado Vaz, and AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene.