BY BAMIDELE FAMOOFO
The African Export-Import Bank and the SADC Business Council have launched the SADC – Africa Trade and Investment Marketplace which aims to promote regional trade, unlock investment opportunities, deepen economic cooperation, and drive sustainable business growth between the SADC region and the rest of Africa.
The SADC – Africa Trade and Investment Marketplace will provide the private sector in the SADC region with a platform to foster higher levels of engagement in trade and investment-related matters with the rest of Africa.
Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, said: “We are delighted at the launch of the SADC – Africa Trade and Investment Marketplace which will play a pivotal role in promoting the SADC industrialisation agenda and facilitating business to business exchanges aimed at increasing the volume of trade and investment between SADC and the rest of Africa under the AfCFTA.
Afreximbank remains committed to supporting the trade and investment agreements and deals generated from the SADC – Africa Trade and Investment Marketplace.’’
As a prime public sector partner in forging SADC’s development and integration, SADC BC is committed to promoting sustainable growth of businesses in the region.
Speaking at the launch, Peter Varndell, Executive Secretary at the SADC Business Council, said: “Greater regional integration of the private sector is paramount to boost intra-African trade, strengthen the complementarities of production and exports and create employment. I encourage the private sector to explore this marketplace fully, to actively engage in productive dialogue, to share their experiences, to collaborate and develop innovative ways to advance SADC’s economic relationship with Africa for the benefit of all our citizens.”
