The event aims to provide a unique platform to facilitate the exchange of information on trade and investment in Africa.
Initially scheduled to take place in Cote d’Ivoire, the third edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) will be held from November 9 to 15, 2023 in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. In a press release received by APA on Tuesday, the organizers state that the Ivorian government says it is “no longer in a position to host the trade fair due to
difficulties encountered in importing semi-permanent structures and complying with certain hosting requirements.”
This situation led to the relocation of the event to Egypt, whose “responsiveness” and “flexibility” were praised by the Chairman of the IATF2023 Advisory Board, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“This undoubtedly demonstrates his commitment to promoting and developing trade between African countries. With Egypt, the biennial edition of the IATF was launched in 2018 with flying colors. We therefore reassure all IATF2023 stakeholders, including exhibitors, conference delegates, buyers and trade visitors, that we have no doubt that the experience gained with Egypt in 2018 and with South Africa at the second edition in Durban in 2021, will make this third edition of Africa’s premier trade and investment platform a success beyond our
expectations,” he said.
“We would like to lend our full support to the organization of the fair in a form suited to Egypt’s position in Africa. IATF2023 will provide companies with a unique and valuable platform to access an integrated African market of over 1.3 billion people with a GDP of over 3,500 US dollars, created within the framework of the African
Continental Free Trade Area,” emphasized Ahmed Samir, Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry.
Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the IATF aims to provide a unique platform to facilitate the exchange of trade and investment information to support the increase of intra-African trade and investment, particularly in the context of the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement.
The “acceleration of the implementation” of this mechanism was adopted this year by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, and the IATF aims to continue riding this wave.
In addition to African participants, the trade show is also open to companies and investors from other continents wishing to do business in Africa and support the continent’s transformation through industrialization and export development.
ODL/ac/fss/abj/APA