“Here, we invest!” This bold and resonant slogan from Attijariwafa Bank underscores its commitment to becoming a key economic player in Africa. This powerful message sets the tone for the 7th edition of the International Africa Development Forum (FIAD), an annual event that has become a cornerstone for fostering investment opportunities and creating value across the African continent. FIAD provides a platform for African nations to showcase their development projects and strategies to international investors and financiers, promoting an environment conducive to growth and innovation.
This year’s FIAD expects to host 2,000 operators and anticipates 4,000 business meetings. Eleven countries will be spotlighted: Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo. The plenary sessions will tackle critical themes such as “Paradigm Shifts,” “Building Opportunities: Spotlight on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” and “Sustainable Investment for Sustainable Societies.”
In his opening speech at the 2024 International Africa Development Forum (FIAD), organized by the Africa Development Club of Attijariwafa Bank in partnership with the pan-African fund AL MADA, Mohamed El Kettani highlighted Africa’s significant progress and its promising future. “Africa is currently undergoing a series of transitions that are propelling it into the future,” began El Kettani. “This is an Africa in the midst of transformation, unfolding through major development projects and shared ambitions,” asserted the CEO of Attijariwafa Bank, convinced that “Africa is well-positioned to become a global development engine.”
However, to fully realize its potential, El Kettani pointed out that “the sustainable transformation of its assets must rely on both disruptive and inclusive policies, strategic investments, and optimized resource allocation.”
Mouna Kadiri, Director of Attijariwafa Bank’s Africa Development Club, stated, “The International Africa Development Forum is a premier economic platform aimed at uniting thousands of African businesses and international partners around value creation. FIAD focuses on three main pillars: economic advocacy for South/South cooperation, facilitating business connections for fruitful partnerships, and the investment market, highlighting economic development opportunities in African countries.”
Despite ongoing challenges, Africa has seen significant growth, with a continental GDP increase of nearly 5% annually since 2000. However, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily stalled this momentum. FIAD aims to act as a catalyst for recovery, emphasizing the need for strengthened South/South cooperation for sustainable and autonomous development across the continent.
The 2024 edition of FIAD will feature two major pavilions: the AfCFTA Pavilion, representing a market of 1.2 billion people with a GDP of $2.5 trillion, and the Atlantic Africa Space, an initiative championed by King Mohammed VI to foster integrated economic and political cooperation among Atlantic African countries.
