Cairo (Egypt): Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023)
The Egyptian capital of Cairo has been announced as the new host of the third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023), which will now take place from November 9 to 15, 2023.
The IATF2023 Advisory Board said in Cairo that the decision to change the venue and dates of the continental event, originally scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from November 21 to 27, 2023, followed indications received from the Ivorian government that it was no longer in a position to host the trade fair due to difficulties in importing semi-permanent structures and complying with certain hosting requirements.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the IATF2023 Advisory Board, the trade show’s governing body, praised the commitment of the Egyptian government in agreeing to be the new host.
“We must thank the government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for its responsiveness, flexibility and dedication in hosting the intra-African trade fair once again,” said Mr. Obasanjo. “This undoubtedly demonstrates its 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 leading trade and investment platform a success beyond our expectations.”
The host country of the highly successful inaugural edition of IATF in 2018, Egypt offers first-class infrastructure and facilities. The IATF2023 organizers, in close collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry, are on track to rapidly finalize the necessary arrangements and ensure that IATF2023 takes place as planned under excellent conditions.
“Coordination is underway with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to host the third edition of the intra-African trade fair, scheduled for November 9-15, 2023,” said Eng. Ahmed Samir, Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry. “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 offer companies a unique and valuable platform to access an integrated African market of over 1.3 billion people with a GDP of over $3.5 trillion, created within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.”
IATF2023 echoes the decision of the 2023 Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which adopted “accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA” as the African Union’s theme for 2023. This underlines the great importance of IATF as a continental initiative and as a market place for AfCFTA.
About the Intra-African Trade Fair
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 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is designed to provide a unique platform to facilitate the exchange of trade and investment information to support increased intra-African trade and investment, particularly in the context of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
IATF brings together continental and global players to present and exhibit their goods and services, and to explore business and investment opportunities on the continent. It also provides a platform for sharing trade, investment and market information with stakeholders, and enables participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges facing intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the trade fair is also open to companies and investors from non-African countries keen to do business in Africa and support the continent’s transformation through industrialization and export development.
he third Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) is expected to attract :
Over 1,600 exhibitors.
Over 35,000 visitors, buyers and conference delegates from 55 African countries, the diaspora and the rest of the world; and
More than $43 billion in trade and investment transactions.
To register as a delegate or exhibitor at IATF2023, please visit :
www.intrafricantradefair.com
