About 15% of African countries' trade takes place within the continent, whereas the share exceeds half in Europe and Asia. President Macky Sall, a candidate for UN Secretary-General, counts the continent's integration among the levers of peace: an Africa that processes and sells at home what it produces depends less on shocks from elsewhere.

The African Continental Free Trade Area. Its trading began in January 2021. It brings together nearly fifty-five countries and one billion four hundred million people, which makes it the world's largest free-trade area by number of states. What remains is to make it live: lift the barriers; harmonise the rules; link countries through roads and corridors.

Trade between neighbours and peace. Two countries that exchange goods, energy and services have more to lose from a conflict. Economic integration gives neighbours concrete reasons to agree over and above their disputes, and development then moves at the same pace as peace.

The infrastructure of integration. A common market does not hold without roads, without power grids, without connected ports. Because a poorly connected continent remains fragmented, President Macky Sall made infrastructure a priority, in Senegal as at the head of the African Union.

Regional integration on the UN agenda. Trade between neighbours is one of the most durable cements of peace. The Secretary-General can recall it, support regional integration as a factor of stability and back infrastructure financing.

Infrastructure and the vision for the UN. The priority given to infrastructure dates from President Macky Sall's twelve years as head of state, the chairmanship of the African Union in 2022 included. That experience explains why the vision statement filed with the United Nations frames its proposals as obligations: peace and security conceived with development; a renewed multilateralism; stronger governance of the Organization.

Africa at its heart, the world in its sights.

The African Continental Free Trade Area began trading in January 2021. Read all public positions at www.mackysall.net