Latest news with #economicintegration
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 Welcomes Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) as Official Premier Partner
Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025), Africa's premier trade and investment forum, is delighted to announce Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), a pan-African infrastructure and industrial development enterprise that designs and operates large-scale industrial ecosystems across Africa, as an official Premier Partner. The Fair is scheduled to take place from 4-10 September 2025 in Algiers, Algeria. IATF2025, organised by Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Secretariat, and hosted by the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is set to welcome over 2,000 exhibitors from across Africa and beyond. The biennial event aims to boost intra-African trade and spotlight investment opportunities across the continent, with projections of over US$44 billion in trade and investment deals. This edition will feature a strong presence of production and service companies, alongside a dedicated investment and trade forum focused on advancing Africa's economic integration. Arise IIP, a joint venture between Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Equitane, and the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), a subsidiary of Afreximbank, identifies industrial gaps in African countries and designs tailor-made solutions to enable the sustainable and local transformation of raw materials, boost exports, and promote trade. Its mission is to accelerate industrialisation in Africa by creating industrial parks (Ips), and processing zones that are tailored to local needs and opportunities. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank said: 'We are pleased to welcome Arise IIP as a Premier Partner of IATF2025. Arise IIP and Afreximbank have established a collaborative strategic partnership over the past few years aimed at driving industrialisation and trade development across Africa. This partnership is built on shared goals of promoting intra-African trade, facilitating industrial growth, and strengthening Africa's position in global value chains.' Mr Amit Agrawal, Chief Operating Officer, Arise IIP: 'We are honoured to once again partner with the intra-African Trade Fair. IATF provides a unique and powerful platform for connecting key stakeholders committed to advancing Africa's industrialisation and economic integration. Our participation in IATF2023 allowed us to spotlight the immense potential of local manufacturing through our Country Day, and we look forward to building on that momentum. At Arise IIP, we believe that intra-African trade is essential to unlocking the continent's full industrial potential. IATF2025 offers an unparalleled opportunity to forge new partnerships, attract investments, and accelerate the development of sustainable, inclusive industrial ecosystems across Africa.' Arise IIP operates in multiple countries across Africa through the following flagship projects; the Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ) in Gabon, Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin, Plateforme Industrielle d'Adétikopé (PIA) in Togo, Bugesera Special Economic Zone (BSEZ) in Rwanda, Industrial Platform Remo Free Zone (IPRFZ) in Nigeria, among others. To participate in IATF2025, please visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank. Media contact: media@ press@ About ARISE IIP: ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) is a pan-African developer and operator of world-class industrial parks. ARISE IIP identifies opportunities in commercial and industrial value chains across Africa, designs, finances, builds and operates the necessary infrastructure, playing a catalytic role in supporting countries in their transition to an industrial economy. Driven by the pursuit of green growth, ARISE IIP's ambition is to support the development of the continent's industrial potential while offsetting its carbon emissions and climate impact. About the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF): Organised by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with African Union Commission (AUC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities on the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries who bring investment goods as well as those interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Congo Peace May Herald $700 Million Power Deal With US Company
Symbion Power LLC is proposing a 140-megawatt power plant and transmission lines along the border of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda if the two countries can implement a recent US-backed peace agreement. The New York-based firm pitched to spend $700 million on converting methane gas to electricity on the Congolese side of Lake Kivu in the context of an economic integration deal signed between the two nations, according to Symbion and US officials. The company already planned a smaller plant on the lake, but development was stalled by conflict in the region.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 Welcomes Dangote Group as Official Premier Partner
Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025), Africa's premier trade and investment forum, is excited to announce Dangote Group as an official Premier Partner. As one of Africa's leading industrial conglomerates, with over 18 subsidiaries operating across a wide spectrum of sectors critical to the continent's economic transformation - including cement, fertilisers, petrochemicals, refined petroleum products, sugar, salt, and logistics, Dangote Group will be a key partner for IATF at its fourth edition to be held in Algiers, Algeria from 4-10 September 2025. The biennial IATF, hosted by the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and organised by Afreximbank in partnership with African Union Commission and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, aims to increase intra-African trade and showcase the investment opportunities across Africa. The fourth edition will feature a wide participation of production and service companies, alongside an investment and trade forum highlighting Africa's potential for economic integration. During the week-long fair, more than 2,000 exhibitors, including businesses from the African continent and globally, will showcase their goods and services to visitors and buyers while exploring opportunities and exchanging trade and market information. This is projected to translate into over US$44 billion in trade and investment deals. Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank said: 'We are delighted to welcome Dangote Group as an Official Premier Partner of IATF2025. As a beacon of African industrial excellence, Dangote Group continues to shape the continent's economic trajectory through bold investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, and regional value chains. Afreximbank is proud to have supported their transformative projects - including the landmark Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex and Dangote Fertiliser Plant - through tailored financing and advisory solutions. According to the Group Chief Branding&Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, 'Our partnership with IATF is built on a shared vision of commitment to advancing Africa's economic growth. Having experienced the tangible impact of IATF2023, we are proud to build on that momentum as a Premier Partner for IATF2025. This platform continues to drive meaningful connections and opportunities across the continent, and we look forward to contributing to its success once again in Algiers.' 'This strategic partnership underscores our shared commitment to building a self-reliant, prosperous Africa where intra-African trade is the cornerstone of growth. Together, we aim to unlock new frontiers of opportunity and position Africa as a global hub of production, innovation, and trade,' Chiejina added. Dangote Group, founded in Nigeria in 1978, is playing a key role in reshaping Africa's industrial landscape. As one of the continent's largest and most diversified conglomerates, Dangote drives sustainable development through transformative investments in cement, agriculture, food production, and energy. With a commitment to innovation and self-sufficiency, the Group has empowered millions of Africans, boosted regional economies, and spearheaded infrastructure and manufacturing growth. To participate in IATF2025 please visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank. About Dangote: Dangote Industries Limited is one of Africa's leading diversified and fully integrated industrial conglomerateswith an annual group turnover of US$9.6 billion (2024) with vibrant operations in Nigeria and Africa across a wide range of sectors including cement, sugar, salt, condiments, packaging, energy, port operations, automotive, fertiliser, petroleum refining and petrochemicals. The core business focus of the Group, which started operations in 1978, is to provide local, value-added products and services that meet the 'basic needs' of the populace. Through the construction and operation of large-scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and across 10 other African countries, Dangote Group is focused on building local manufacturing capacity to generate employment, prevent capital flight and provide locally produced goods for the people. About the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF): Organised by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with African Union Commission (AUC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) is intended to provide a unique platform for facilitating trade and investment information exchange in support of increased intra-African trade and investment, especially in the context of implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). IATF brings together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services and to explore business and investment opportunities on the continent. It also provides a platform to share trade, investment and market information with stakeholders and allows participants to discuss and identify solutions to the challenges confronting intra-African trade and investment. In addition to African participants, the Trade Fair is also open to businesses and investors from non-African countries who bring investment goods as well as those interested in doing business in Africa and in supporting the continent's transformation through industrialisation and export development.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Zawya
The RN1 road project: Building pathways for development in Congo
Modeste Mafangala, a road haulier, makes no secret of his satisfaction with a recent major change in his daily life: the repair of the Kinshasa–N'Djili–Batshamba section of the RN1 In Kikwit, in Kwilu province in the south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Before, it was very difficult to get from here to Kinshasa. You could spend a week or two on the road. But now the road is good. The goods we're loading today will arrive at their destination the next day, either by bus, truck or motorcycle," he says, visibly relieved. The project to renovate the 622km section of RN1 between Kinshasa, N'Djili and Batshamba was financed to the tune of $70.2m by the African Development Fund, the African Development Bank Group's concessional financing window. The project addresses the major challenge of opening up rural areas to trade in goods and services. Long isolated due to poor road conditions, the provinces of Kwango and Kwilu now enjoy better connectivity with the capital and with each other. This improvement greatly facilitates interprovincial trade and creates momentum for regional economic integration. The impact on transport conditions is particularly evident. The journey between Kinshasa and Kikwit, and even Batshamba, now takes just six hours. In addition to reducing travel times, the improved road quality has also led to a significant reduction in the number of accidents. "Back then, hauliers would spend days on end trying to reach Kikwit or Tshikapa,' explains Jean Luemba, project implementation co-ordinator in Kinshasa. 'But today, they get there in less time and save money on fuel and even spare parts, because with all the potholes on the road, vehicles used to suffer significant damage. You could say that hauliers are now getting their money's worth." Multiplying community benefits But the benefits of the project go far beyond simply repairing the road. An integrated approach to development has multiplied the positive impacts for the people living in the project area. Schools now have access to drinking water, health centres have been built, rural markets refurbished, agricultural tracks upgraded, and several villages equipped with boreholes. At the Don Bosco Institute in Kenge, for example, the project has changed the daily lives of the students. A drinking water borehole with a standpipe has been installed in the schoolyard, so the students can now enjoy their breaks without worrying about finding water to drink. Espérance Anga, a student in the 4th grade general mechanics class, said: "This is a very good thing for us. Before, we had trouble getting drinking water during breaks. We used to buy water in bags from the canteen. Now, thanks to the borehole, it's much easier." The RN1 renovation project is a major infrastructure initiative that is expected to have positive effects on socioeconomic development in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By connecting Kinshasa to the provinces of Kwango and Kwilu, the road facilitates travel and trade, with a knock-on effect on the daily life of communities and economic activity. "Today, people living along the road can get more value from their daily produce. They can sell more easily because vehicles now have direct access to their villages. One mother, for example, no longer needs to travel to Kinshasa or the market to sell a bag of cassava or charcoal: she can sell it in front of her house. It's a real change in their daily lives," says Jean Luemba.
Reuters
01-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Rwanda, Congo agree on outline for economic framework as part of peace deal
WASHINGTON/PARIS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday agreed on an outline for the regional economic integration framework, according to the U.S. State Department, as the two countries take steps toward delivering on a peace deal signed in Washington last month. The tenets agreed on Friday summarize the framework, which includes elements of cooperation on energy, infrastructure, mineral supply chains, national parks and public health, the State Department said in a statement. Rwanda and Congo signed a peace deal in Washington in June at talks held by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which aims to bring an end to fighting that has killed thousands and attract billions of dollars of Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals. As part of the deal, Kinshasa and Kigali agreed to launch a regional economic integration framework within 90 days, the agreement said. A source familiar with the matter said a preliminary draft of the framework has been agreed to and there would now be an input period to get reaction from the private sector and civil society before it is finalized. The framework is planned to be signed at a meeting of heads of state at the White House. No date has been set yet for that meeting, the source said. In the Friday statement, Rwanda and Congo affirmed that each country has "full, sovereign control" over the exploitation, processing and export of its natural resources and recognized the importance of developing mineral processing and transformation capacity within each country, according to a copy seen by Reuters. Kinshasa views the plundering of its mineral wealth as a key driver of the conflict between its forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo. Reuters reported in May that Congolese minerals such as tungsten, tantalum and tin, which Kinshasa has long accused neighbouring Rwanda of illegally exploiting, could be exported legitimately to Rwanda for processing under the terms of the deal being negotiated by the U.S., according to sources. The two countries are committed to ensuring that the minerals trade no longer provides funding to armed groups and to create a world-class industrial mining sector in the region, as well as to ensure better cross-border interoperability on mineral supply chains, according to the statement. They also agreed to connect new infrastructure to the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor, underscoring Washington's aim of greater access to resources in the region and efforts to counter China. The Ruzizi III hydropower project and Lake Kivu methane exploitation were the only specific projects mentioned in the statement, despite U.S. emphasis on critical minerals. The countries said they intended to prioritize financing for Ruzizi and work together to exploit the methane gas sustainably. Friday's announcement comes after the two countries held the first meeting of a joint oversight committee on Thursday in a step toward implementing the Washington peace deal even as other commitments are yet to be fulfilled. In the Washington agreement, the two African countries pledged to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern Congo within 90 days. Congolese military operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Congo-based armed group that includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out a 1994 genocide, are meant to conclude over the same timeframe. The deal also said Congo and Rwanda would form a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days and implement a plan agreed last year to monitor and verify the withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers within three months. But 30 days from the signing has passed without a meeting of the joint security coordination mechanism. The source familiar with the matter said the joint security coordination mechanism meeting would be held on August 7 in Addis Ababa. Congo is also involved in direct talks with M23 hosted by Qatar, and last month the two sides pledged to sign a separate peace agreement by August 18, though many outstanding details need to be negotiated.
