Ghana is hosting today a roadshow to raise the awareness of the private sector about the substantial benefits of attending the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2021) which will take place in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 15 to 21 November 2021.
Attendees at the event will include ministers and high-level officials from Ghana as well as senior executives from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and other highly regarded organisations.
The keynote address will be given by Mr. Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry. In addition, Mr. Ravi Pillay, MEC for Economic Development, the Tourism and Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), will speak about KZN’s readiness to host IATF2021.
A high-level panel discussion is also planned on the topic ‘Building Forward Better Post-Covid-19: Promoting Ghana – Africa Trade & Investment under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’. Panellists include the Deputy Minister of International Trade, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana; the Managing Director of Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Initiative; a representative from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat; and the CEO of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association of Ghana Industry and the Ghana Enterprises Agency.
Other high-level dignitaries and delegates will include Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President in charge of Finance, Administration and Banking Services; H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the AfCFTA Secretariat; Ms. Afua Asabea Asare, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Export Promotion Authority and Mr. Lawrence Agyinsam, CEO, Ghana Exim Bank.
Closing Remarks will be made by Ms Grace Jeanet Mason, South African High Commissioner to Ghana.
About the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021)
Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) will take place in Durban from 15 to 21 November 2021.
IATF2021 provides a platform to promote trade under the AfCFTA. It will bring together continental and global buyers and sellers, and will enable stakeholders to share trade, investment and market information as well as trade finance and trade facilitation solutions designed to support intra-African trade and the economic integration of the continent.
In addition to establishing business-to-business and business-to-government exchange platforms for business deals and advisory services, IATF2021 also operates IATF2021 Virtual, an interactive online platform that replicates the physical event.
IATF2021 will also focus on Africa’s creative economy as well as the automotive industry with dedicated programmes. A conference will run alongside the exhibition and will feature high-profile speakers and panellists addressing topical issues relating to trade, trade finance, payments, trade facilitation, trade-enabling infrastructure, trade standards, industrialisation, regional value chains and investment.
