The Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 opened Thursday with a strong call for African nations to turn ambition into action on economic integration.

H.E. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, urged delegates to expand intra-African trade and industrialization, stressing the continent’s capacity to drive its own growth.

“We cannot ask the world to believe in ‘Made in Africa’ if we do not believe in it ourselves,” she said.

The fair, held Sept. 4–10 in Algiers, Algeria, is organized by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. It serves as a marketplace for businesses, policymakers, and investors.

Highlights include the Youth Startup Pavilion and the African Women in Processing Pavilion, both designed to showcase innovation, entrepreneurship, and value-added production.

“Before you depart Algeria, commit to one partnership, remove one barrier, simplify one process, or place your trust in one African product you had not trusted before,” she said.

The African Continental Free Trade Area or AfCFTA, a flagship project of the AU’s Agenda 2063, remains central to Africa’s integration effort.

Advocates say reducing trade barriers will boost cross-border commerce, expand industrial capacity, and promote inclusive growth across the continent.

H.E. Wamkele Mene, secretary-general of the AfCFTA Secretariat, said intra-African trade reached $220 billion in 2024, a 12.5 percent increase from the previous year. Still, he urged participants to look beyond statistics.

“The true success of the IATF is not in the numbers,” Mene said. “It is in the jobs created, in the women entrepreneurs supported, in the SMEs empowered, and in the opportunities for young entrepreneurs.”

This year’s theme, “A Gateway to New Opportunities,” emphasizes digital trade, stronger value chains, and industrial growth.

ALGIERS, Algeria – Bantu Gazette