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Rabat – Ifrane will host the continental African Trade and Investment Forum on December 16-17.
The “Ifrane Forum 2021” seeks to underscore the importance of private investment as the backbone of socio-economic development on the African continent, organizers said in a press release.
This year’s event is in honor of the strategic partnership between the I-Afrika network, the organizing entity of the Ifrane Forum, and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).
According to the press release from The African Summit of Trade and Investment, the forum aims to serve as a hub of debate and discussions on the reopening of the economy post-COVID-19 for the African continent.
The panels also seek to discuss how the African continent can benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Zone. The trade zone agreement has been effective since January 2021.
The African Continental Free Trade Zone, also known as AfcFTA, aspires to create a united market to promote goods and services among stakeholders in the continent.
The AfcTA counts on different aspects to serve the integration of member states in promoting inter-business in the continent. Among its benefits comes the reduction of tariffs among members as well as the facilitation of services.
The two-day forum is an in-person symposium. The organizers will also broadcast the event online via the forum’s official platform.
“The main objective of the forum is to cater to the emergence of collaboration initiatives between the private and the public sector,” according to a statement from the African Summit of Trade and Investment.
The forum will also shed light on the importance of the private sector and its contribution to post-COVID economic recovery.
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Khadija Idrissi Janati, President of the Ifrane Forum, said: “We believe that for Africa to reach sustainable economic growth, it must rely on its private sector, especially Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMB).”
“SMBs have already displayed great resilience and innovation in the wake of the pandemic,” she added.
The agenda of the forum also covers discussions on the importance of digitization to accelerate the development of the continent.
“By encouraging the spreading of digital technologies, data, and interconnection to all sectors, starting with healthcare, African countries can accelerate economic transformation and the creation of productive jobs, in line with the Aspirations of the African Union Agenda 2063,” according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Morocco’s government has repeatedly emphasized the importance of digitization in several sectors. A report from Michael Page Africa echoed the same sentiment.
The report believes that Morocco could overcome post-COVID-19 crisis through two main factors: An improved digital revolution, and a stronger e-commerce sector.
