The 3rd Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2023) is set to take place from 21 to 27 November 2023 at the Abidjan Exhibition Centre, with trade contracts worth approximately $43 billion (over 26,600 billion CFA francs) expected to be signed.
On Thursday, 23 February 2023, prior to a meeting of the IATF 2023 Advisory Committee, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo visited the Abidjan Exhibition Centre, which is nearing completion. The venue will host the event, a significant milestone in the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
"We would like to thank the government for its commitment to the success of the event, and we hope that, like previous editions, it will be a success here in Côte d’Ivoire," remarked Olusegun Obasanjo, who led the delegation from the IATF Advisory Council. Reflecting on Africa’s journey, he noted, "Four years ago, Africa and its leaders decided to create a free trade area to expand African trade, and we are pleased that this initiative also gave rise to the Intra-African Trade Fair."
This space, he noted, provides an opportunity for various industries to grow, but more importantly, it emphasizes the processing of raw materials. He also expressed being "very pleased and satisfied with the efforts undertaken by the Ivorian government" to host the IATF 2023.
This visit allowed members of the Advisory Committee to see the infrastructure that will host the IATF 2023 in Abidjan, explained Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Trade, Industry, and SME Promotion, Mr. Souleymane Diarrassouba.
He assured attendees that the Abidjan Exhibition Centre is 97% complete and will be fully operational by May 2023.
We expect at least 35,000 participants at this fair, and in terms of projections, approximately $43 billion in trade deals will be signed during this fair, which is a pan-African event," he added.
At the end of the meeting of the IATF Advisory Committee, chaired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the third edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair was launched. It is scheduled to take place from November 21 to 27, 2023, on the shores of the Ebrié Lagoon.
Organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, and under the aegis of the Ivorian government, the IATF aims to connect African markets. The fair provides businesses with access to a unified market of over 1.3 billion people with a GDP exceeding $3.5 trillion.
Alongside exhibitions, the event will feature trade and investment conferences, matchmaking sessions for businesses, and engagements between private sector representatives and governments. It will also include an online platform (IATF Virtual) and the AU's Young Startups Programme.
The Africa Automotive Show, another highlight of the event, will include an automobile exhibition and forum. Additionally, the IATF 2023 CANEX Summit will bring together the continent’s designers, artists, musicians, producers, and major brands, celebrating African creativity and innovation.
Credit: Abidjan.net