Some 15 African leaders are expected to attend the 2021 Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF) which kicks off in the Indian Ocean port city of Durban on Monday.
The second IATF is being held at Durban International Convention Centre where host President Cyril Ramaphosa, apart from welcoming 13 other leaders, will also have Chairperson of the South African Development Community and Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, and African Union Chairperson and Democratic Republic of Congo leader, Felix Etienne Tshisekedi, in attendance.
The IATF will this year focus on the newly launched Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), providing a platform for international buyers, sellers, and investors to share market information in support of the Intra-Africa trade.
The IATF is expected to attract over 10,000 visitors and buyers across the African continent, with more than 80 companies supported by the government having an opportunity to showcase their products and services.
It will also provide an opportunity for local businesses to access an African market with a GDP of over US$2.5 trillion created under the AfCFTA which was inaugurated in January this year.
Hosted by the South African government in conjunction with the African Export-Import Bank, the event is expected to increase South Africa’s goods and service exports into the continent.
NM/jn/APA