The Federation of African Engineering Organization (FAEO) has pledged its support towards the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to help boost free trade across the continent.

They said the core aim of AfCFTA, which among others, is seeking to create opportunities for African countries to bring 30 million people out of extreme poverty and to raise the incomes of 68 million who live on less than $5.50 per day was laudable and needed the support of all.

Mrs Carlien Bou-Chedid, the President of FAEO, speaking at the end of the 7th Edition of the Africa Engineering Week and 5th Africa Engineering Conference held in Accra, said the meeting resolved to institutionalize its relationship with AfCFTA, Africa Union (AU) and the governments of all African countries

“The first step is to establish a Memorandum of Understanding with AfCFTA, actively engage the AfCFTA Secretariat and Heads of Member States in the delivery of solutions to the infrastructure required to ensure free trade across Africa,'' she said.

Mrs Bou-Chedid noted that the African Engineers had resolved to begin some initiatives, including leading the harmonization of standards and codes across Africa by engaging the relevant regional bodies and innovating commercially to harness the natural resources of the Africa Continent.

She said the group would establish an African Fulbright Programme to teach African citizens and create an African University exchange programme among lecturers and students.

The President noted that the group had resolved to promote ethical training in curriculum for engineering education, mentor more students in second cycle institutions to pursue engineering through aggressive outreach activities and convince governments of member states to increase funding towards research in engineering.

They would also lead a training programme for intellectual property rights, sign the Single African Air Transport Market, lead in the development of Infrastructure and establish an African Arbitration Center and train world-class Arbitrators as well as lead in promoting better collaboration between industry and academia.

On Women in Engineering, Mrs Bou-Chedid said the participants resolved to encourage women to study and practice engineering by creating infrastructure, which would meet the needs of women.

They also advocated facilities in infrastructure to cater for women in Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises and the promotion of gender consideration during planning, design, implementation and post-implementation stages of all projects.

The conference, she averred, called for the formulation of policies that would enable women to access funding and inclusivity of women in all infrastructure projects as well as expand access to digital infrastructure.

The participants Mrs Bou-Chedid said expressed concern about the current effects of Covid-19 on the realization of the tenets of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the slow progress of Africa Countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.