The role of the NHRIs in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Treaty implementation was also discussed. The AfCFTA is one of the flagship projects under the AU Agenda 2063. It is a framework agreement covering trade in goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. The AfCFTA envisages the creation of a single market with free movement of goods, services, capital and natural persons, as a way of promoting social and economic development in Africa. The Draft Strategic Framework of the AfCFTA emphasises the importance of ensuring that the process is all-inclusive, participatory and consultative with all stakeholders, particularly civil society groups at the national, sub-regional and continental levels. Rising concerns around AfCFTA: • The AfCFTA design process and negotiations have so far been exclusive, opaque and shrouded in secrecy, with little or no space for the involvement of critical stakeholders/constituencies whose interests are implicated. • More importantly, the discussions have paid minimal attention to the human rights implications of the AfCFTA, which are likely to be significant. • Rising skepticism towards trade and investment liberalization driven to a large extent by peoples’ concerns that the benefits of trade and globalization have not been equitably distributed to benefit vulnerable groups. Role of NHRIs • The role of human rights actors including NHRIs in the regional and national consultative processes related to negotiations and implementation of the AfCFTA cannot be over-emphasized. • NHRIs are uniquely placed to advise States on their obligations to conform to regional and international human rights instruments. • However, we are aware that sometimes they often lack the requisite capacity, resourcing and political good-will to deliver on this mandate. NANHRI’s approach around this project is to provide support for capacity strengthening, to hold consultations and build consensus, and to strengthen the link between NHRIs and regional and global mechanisms. Recommendations from session 4: • • NHRIs to integrate business and human rights issues in their work NHRIs to advocate for a human rights-based approach to development including the implementation of the AfCFTA. Session 5: Joint Commemorative Webinar: The Gains and Gaps in the Complementary Relationship between NHRIs & the African Commission over the Past 40 years of the Charter: A Focus on Affiliate Status This session focused on affiliate status and the difference between affiliate and observer status. There was first an expert presentation and a panel discussion on the gains and gaps in the complementary relationship between NHRIs and the African Commission. 12