AfDB Champions Industrialisation and Trade Integration at IATF2025 in Algiers
The African Development Bank Group has used the continent’s largest trade and investment gathering to highlight the transformative role of industrialisation and regional integration in driving Africa’s economic growth.
The fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), which opened yesterday in Algiers, has drawn more than 30,000 participants from 75 countries. The event is expected to generate trade and investment deals exceeding US$44 billion, with potential involvement from the Bank Group, a sponsor of the fair.
Speaking at the summit, Ousmane Fall, the Bank Group’s Director for Industrial and Trade Development, emphasised the institution’s central role in Africa’s economic transformation. He is leading a ten-member delegation representing the Bank at the event.
“The African Development Bank is proud to stand at the forefront of Africa’s economic transformation. By investing in industries, infrastructure, and trade facilitation, we are enabling African economies to create jobs, add value locally, and compete globally. IATF2025 is the marketplace where Africa’s vision of ‘Made in Africa’ becomes a global brand,” Fall said.
The Bank is showcasing flagship initiatives including the Africa Investment Forum, which will convene its Market Days in Rabat this November. It is also highlighting programmes designed to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strengthen value chains, and boost intra-African trade.
These include the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones initiative, which attracts private investment and creates jobs in agriculture-linked industries, as well as regional value chain initiatives in textiles, pharmaceuticals, automotive and minerals beneficiation.
The Bank also reiterated its strong commitment to supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), emphasizing its potential to accelerate regional integration and economic resilience across the continent.
