Excitement across Africa as Registration for the much awaited 2023 AfCFTA Business Forum goes live!

The AfCFTA Business Forum, co-hosted by the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Government of South Africa under the leadership of H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, set to take place from the 16th to 19th April, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.

It is one of Africa’s biggest business event, designed with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA and activating trade and investments.?

According to the Secretariat, the main focus of the Forum is the private sector as the programs and activities are being curated specifically to create a private sector engagement platform and promote a private sector-friendly environment.

The Forum will focus on the AfCFTA Priority sectors including agro-processing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, transportation and logistics, and digital trade. Panel sessions, dialogues and side-events will be aimed at creating awareness of the current business and investment opportunities in the AfCFTA among Africa’s business community and going a step further to connect businesses to funding opportunities for AfCFTA value chains.

In doing so, the ABF will set up structures through the Secretariat that will serve a private sector engagement platform for continued consultations on private sector needs in the implementation of the AfCFTA.

Furthermore, the importance of MSMEs especially those led by Women and Youth will be highlighted at this Forum.?

In addition to these sessions, the Forum will also provide spaces for one-to-one business meetings, sponsored breakfasts and luncheons, deal rooms, investment promotion, networking breaks, and cultural and social events, including an award ceremony, a gala dinner, and a creative showcase.

It doesn’t end there, the forum will also feature an exciting opportunity for businesses and investors to pitch their ideas and projects to a panel of potential investors and business leaders.

This provides an opportunity for companies and entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative projects and to attract investment, partnerships, and mentorship.

Why is the ABF 2023 unique??

The AfCFTA Business Forum is a landmark event as it is the first business forum to take place after the launch of the guided trade initiative. This means that the instruments necessary for trading under the AfCFTA have already been put into place and are ready to be utilized. Businesses and investors can take advantage of the opportunities created by the AfCFTA to expand their reach, connect with new partners and customers, and access new markets.

Moreover, 2023 is designated as the Year of the AfCFTA under the African Union theme of “Accelerating the AfCFTA.” This makes the AfCFTA Business Forum a unique opportunity to take advantage of all the machinery of the African Union and Agenda 2063 to promote business and investment in Africa. The African Union’s commitment to promoting economic integration on the continent is reflected in its choice of theme and the AfCFTA Business Forum provides a platform to showcase this commitment and to encourage investment and trade within the AfCFTA. This is a crucial moment for businesses, investors, and governments to come together to discuss, collaborate and create a shared vision for the future of African trade.

What is unique about ABF 2023?

The Forum seeks a broad participation of Africa’s private sector, strategic investors, financial institutions, investment promotion agencies, business councils, chambers of commerce, multinationals, African women and youth business organizations, as well as Heads of Government, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), academia, regional and international media, and AfCFTA Partners. With the beautiful city of Cape Town as the host, there will also be a strong tourism component to the Forum.

More than that, the Forum is a landmark event as it is the first business forum to take place after the launch of the guided trade initiative.

This means that the instruments necessary for trading under the AfCFTA have already been put into place and are ready to be utilized.

Businesses and investors can take advantage of the opportunities created by the AfCFTA to expand their reach, connect with new partners and customers, and access new markets.

Moreover, 2023 is designated as the Year of the AfCFTA under the African Union theme of “Accelerating the AfCFTA.”

This makes the AfCFTA Business Forum a unique opportunity to take advantage of all the machinery of the African Union and Agenda 2063 to promote business and investment in Africa.

The African Union’s commitment to promoting economic integration on the continent is reflected in its choice of theme and the AfCFTA Business Forum provides a platform to showcase this commitment and to encourage investment a and trade within the AfCFTA.

This is a crucial moment for businesses, investors, and governments to come together to discuss, collaborate and create a shared vision for the future of African trade and prosperity.?

Join the conversation here to register and learn more: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GzBgknBdf36BH5xwWSanuD

About Pan African Business Labs (PABL)

At Pan African Business Labs (PABL), we are on a mission to building the largest consortium of seasoned AfCFTA Professionals, Intra - African Trade Advisors, AfCFTA Advocacy & Engagement Leads, Implementation Catalyst, Impact Coordinators, Training and Technical Support Service Providers in Sub - Saharan Africa who will be committed to working with stakeholders in the implementation ecosystem and value chain (including Government Leaders, Implementation Authorities & Actors, Development Partners, Cooperatives, Associations, Business Forums, NGOs, CSOs, BMOs, Media, SMEs and Entrepreneurs) to accelerate effort in maximizing the opportunities, gains & impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA - a single market that connects 1.4 Billion African Consumers with a combined GDP of over 3.4 Trillion USD on one hand and on the other hand, helping Women, Youths - in -Trade & SMEs to adapt at scale, unleash vistas of opportunities & new market frontiers in the Free Trade Area (FTA).

Email enquiries: [email protected]