• BiasharaLink and Deal House aim to support AfCFTA implementation

• Platforms seek to turn African diplomatic missions into trade facilitators

• Fewer than 1% of 3,500 monthly trade requests lead to formal deals

Kenya announced last week the launch of BiasharaLink and Deal House, two digital platforms designed to strengthen economic diplomacy and boost intra-African trade.

Unveiled on the sidelines of the 39th African Union summit, the initiative seeks to address the execution gap in trade agreements across the continent, as heads of state call for concrete solutions to operationalize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The tools were developed by Real Sources Africa (RSA), a pan-African institution specialized in trade infrastructure and recognized by Kenya as a national trading company under the AfCFTA framework. They aim to leverage the potential of more than 1,000 African diplomatic missions by turning them into active facilitators of trade transactions.

BiasharaLink will enable embassies, exporters, and investors to identify and structure trade opportunities aligned with AfCFTA priorities. Deal House will provide operational follow-up, including validation of opportunities, matchmaking with credible partners, access to financing, and support through to contract signing.

This is a “new model of economic diplomacy; one that is results-oriented,” said Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi.

According to RSA, African diplomatic missions receive around 3,500 trade-related requests each month, but fewer than 1% result in formal agreements, highlighting the need for stronger monitoring and execution mechanisms.

AfCFTA Secretary General Wamkele Mene said Africa must strengthen its internal market amid rising tensions in global supply chains.

The initiative places emphasis on integrating small and medium-sized enterprises and women-led businesses into regional value chains, with the stated goal of turning continental integration ambitions into concrete transactions that generate jobs and growth.