More than 300 business and government leaders from across a dozen African nations gathered in Cairo on May 14 and 15 for the 41st multisector mission of the Africa Development Club. The event, spearheaded by Attijariwafa Bank in partnership with its Egyptian subsidiary, was part of a broader push to deepen economic ties within the continent and strengthen cross-border collaboration.
Delegations representing both companies and institutions arrived from countries such as Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Chad, Togo, and Tunisia. They were accompanied by regional teams from Attijariwafa Bank’s network, including SCB Cameroon, Société Ivoirienne de Banque, Attijari Bank Mauritania, CBAO in Senegal, and the International Bank for Mali.
Held under the theme “Connecting Markets, Building the Future,” the gathering focused on the potential for economic partnerships across Africa. Key Egyptian officials joined the conversation, including the deputy governor of the Central Bank, the vice president of the Financial Regulatory Authority, and members of the Egyptian cabinet, among them a former minister of planning. Senior leaders from Attijariwafa Bank also played a central role in steering discussions.
One of the major highlights was a panel dedicated to intra-African investment, bringing together perspectives from both public institutions and private industry. Speakers included the head of Egypt’s General Authority for Investment, the CEO of EDITA Food Industries, as well as officials responsible for industrial development and investment promotion agencies from Senegal and Cameroon. The consensus was clear: unlocking the continent’s economic potential will require closer cooperation and more integrated strategies.
Throughout the two-day event, more than 400 business-to-business meetings took place, connecting companies in key sectors such as agribusiness, construction, retail, and automotive. These targeted encounters underscored the growing appetite for inter-African trade and investment opportunities.
The program also included a visit to the 10th of Ramadan industrial zone, one of Egypt’s major manufacturing hubs, which hosts over 6,000 production units. The tour provided participants with a firsthand look at Egypt’s industrial capacity and infrastructure.
The Africa Development Club’s next stop will be Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo on June 24 and 25, followed by a mission to Libreville, Gabon, in October. Since its launch in 2010, the platform led by Attijariwafa Bank has brought together over 23,000 public and private sector stakeholders from across Africa, with the goal of fostering stronger economic integration and collaboration.
