His Excellency Wamkele Mene

Hon. Wamkele Mene is the Secretary-General for the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He is the first Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, having served in that role since 2020, overseeing and facilitating the implementation of the world’s largest free trade area by membership.

Mr. Mene’s expertise in trade negotiations is underscored by his previous role as the Chief Director of Africa Economic Relations at the Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role as a negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTA negotiations. He also worked as the Director for International Trade and Investment Law at the Department of Trade and Industry.

He represented South Africa at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, and was elected Chairman of WTO’s Committee on International Trade in Financial Services.

Mr. Mene’s academic achievements are a testament to his commitment to excellence. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law from Rhodes University and a master’s degree in international studies and diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

He also holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in Banking Law and Financial Regulations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.