The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought opportunities for Africa to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a Zambian think tank said on Friday.
Commenting on the opening of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, the Policy Monitoring and Research Center said Africa needs to embrace the opportunities presented to enhance trade.
The think tank believes that the plans of the BRI presents a chance for Africa to link up in the global trading system.
Bernadette Deka-Zulu, the think tank's executive, said opportunities under the BRI may help Africa actualize some of the objectives in the free trading arrangement.
She said the BRI offers immense benefits to African countries to spur economic development, indicating that African countries should come up with homegrown plans on how they can fully benefit from the initiative.
She further said the BRI will help African countries increase exports as well as attract more foreign direct investments.
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lusaka.
(XHTV)
