African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Internship Program 2024

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a flagship initiative of the African Union (AU), is offering an internship program for 2024. This program is a unique opportunity for students with relevant skills and knowledge to gain practical experience and international exposure within one of Africa’s most significant development projects.

Program Overview

The AfCFTA is the world’s largest free trade area, bringing together all 55 African Union member states and eight Regional Economic Communities (RECs). It aims to create a single continental market, facilitating the free flow of goods and services and boosting Africa’s trading position globally.

As a key part of the AU’s Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA internship program aims to educate and develop future leaders by providing hands-on experience in an international and multicultural setting.

Internship Roles

Interns will be placed in various departments within the AfCFTA Secretariat to assist with administrative and technical support, helping to implement AfCFTA programs, projects, and activities. Departments include:

• Office of the Secretary-General
• Protocol Division
• Communications Division
• Conferences and Languages Division
• Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition
• Directorate of Customs
• Directorate of Trade in Services, Investment, IPR, and Digital Trade
• Directorate of Dispute Settlement and Legal Affairs
• Directorate of Administration of Human Resources Management/IT Unit
• Directorate of Finance
• Directorate – Institutional Matters & Programme Coordination

Internship Goals

1. Learning Opportunity: Provide students with exposure to the operations of the AfCFTA Secretariat.
2. Practical Experience: Offer a professional environment for students to apply their academic knowledge.
3. Public Awareness: Increase public understanding of the AfCFTA, especially among the youth.
4. Inspiration: Motivate students to aspire to careers in international organizations.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for this internship, applicants must:

1. Be nationals of an African Union Member State and currently residing in Ghana.
2. Be final-year students enrolled full-time in an accredited degree program, specializing in Project/Program Management, Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E), Business Administration, Management, or related fields.
3. Be available full-time for at least three months.
4. Be proficient in one of the AU’s official working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic, Kiswahili, and Spanish); fluency in additional AU languages is an advantage.
5. Possess strong quantitative, IT, and ICT skills, and be familiar with Microsoft Office.
6. Be able to work effectively in a multicultural and international team environment.
7. Be committed to adhering to the institution’s rules and values throughout the internship.
8. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline

All applications must be submitted by August 15, 2024, 11:59 p.m. UTC.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, please visit the official application link.

This internship is fully funded, providing a valuable opportunity for students to develop their skills and contribute to the growth of the African continent through the AfCFTA initiative.