IATF2023 Advisory Council Holds 4th Meeting Virtually
The organisers of the third edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 21 to 27 November 2023, are gearing up. To keep track of the organisation and review progress of the execution plan, the Advisory Council, chaired by H.E Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, met for the fourth time on 7 December 2022.
IATF2023 is Africa’s premier trade and investment event. After the successful IATF2021 in Durban, South Africa in November 2021, the Abidjan edition has set itself the target of hosting over 1,600 exhibitors from more than 75 exhibiting countries and over 35,000 attendees. Surpassing the previous editions, IATF2023 is also expected to generate up to US$43 billion in trade and investments deals.
At the fourth meeting of the IATF Advisory Council whose members are responsible for overseeing the organisation of the event, Chief Obasanjo reminded all stakeholders involved in the running of the event of the importance of ensuring that the execution plan is kept to, with 11 months and 2 weeks to go before the event.
Reporting on the readiness of the various components of the event, including the Exhibition, the Conference, the IATF Virtual, the African Automotive Show, and the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme, AU Youth Start-Up programme, Country Day, and Business to Business and Business to Government, the organisers demonstrated solid degree of preparation.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Mr. Jean-Louis EKRA, deputy Chairperson of the IATF2023 Advisory Council and former President of Afreximbank; Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank; Former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Her Excellency Ms Baleka Mbete; Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, His Excellency Mr. Wamkele Mene; Executive Vice President of Intra-African Trade Bank of Afreximbank, Mrs. Kanayo Awani; Mr. Solomon Quaynor, Vice President in charge of the Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization at the African Development Bank; Mr. Jean Betrand AZAPMO, Principal Adviser representing the AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism Industry and Minerals, His Excellency Ambassador Albert Muchanga; and Dr. Kaladji FADIGA, Director General of External Trade, representing the Minister of Commerce and Industry of Cote d’Ivoire.
About the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023)
Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) will take place in Abidjan from 21 to 27 November 2023.
IATF2023 is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The objectives of the Intra-African Trade Fair, include bringing together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services, and to explore business and investment opportunities in the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges affecting intra-African trade and investment. Beyond African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries interested in doing business in Africa and supporting its transformation through industrialisation and export development.
