The Forum will be opened by the President of Egypt, Abdel Fateh El-Sisi, and a number of African Heads of State are also expected at the forum. Last June, in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, three African regional economic communities, COMESA, SADC and the EAC signed a tripartite agreement creating the biggest free trade area on the continent. The Africa 2016 Forum aims to reflect on the African opportunity, as well as putting to practice the African integration story.
The Forum was initiated – and is spearheaded by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), the development arm of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Hazem Fahmy, the Secretary General of the EAPD, is confident that the Forum will help drive the business agenda: “We are launching what we feel will become an important event to help drive more intra-African investment and trade. Egypt is an important partner. We have a number of established groups that have already successfully invested in East and Southern Africa. A number of Egyptian companies in the pharmaceutical and ICT industries can offer expertise and solutions that can be replicated throughout our beloved continent.
This was a sentiment that was also expressed by Heba Salama, who heads COMESA’s Regional Investment Agency: “The aim of the Forum, as well as discussing some of the most pressing issues in Africa today, is to encourage as much B2B interaction. We know that Africa offers the highest rate of return of any region in the world. However, too often, the African private sector is not taking advantage of this opportunity outside of their borders. We aim to change this.”
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The programme will have a big focus on boosting intra-Africa trade and investment by developing new and strategic public and private sector alliances. The organisers expect 1,000 delegates to attend the Forum.
The structure and format of the forum has been specifically designed to provide opportunities to meet face-to-face with high profile government and business decision-makers. There will also be unrivalled access to high level Egyptian policy makers who will be able to provide first hand insights into opportunities and projects in the country.
Investment promotion agencies from all over Africa will also be showcasing both public and private investment opportunities and projects that are seeking partners. Africa 2016 will bring such partners to the table.
“Europe was united through economic collaboration,” added Ambassador Fahmy, “and by creating a competitive edge in strategic sectors, primarily in steel and coal. We as Africans need to get together and collaborate strategically, taking advantage of the huge wealth we have beneath the earth and with our young population and dynamic economies.”
