The African Union is convening African ambassadors in Beijing for a high-level retreat to strategize on maximizing China's offer of 100 percent tariff-free market access.

• The two-day meeting, scheduled for April 23–24, aims to strengthen coordination for operationalizing the preferential trade arrangement.
• Key organizations involved include the African Union Commission, led by Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the AU Permanent Mission to China.
• This initiative aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area and the AU's long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063, ahead of the offer's expected entry into force on May 1, 2026.