"Here, we invest." This central theme of the 2024 International Africa Development Forum (FIAD24) aptly captures the spirit of this event, which thinks of Africa in the present, breaking away from conventional paths.
Bringing together some 2,000 business leaders and policymakers from more than thirty African countries and partner countries of Morocco, FIAD24 stands out by focusing debates on concrete solutions to the structural problems faced by Africa. "Here and now" are the keywords launched in this context by Attijariwafa Bank and its reference shareholder, the pan-African private investment fund Al Mada, initiators of this event, which is held under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
This year's edition of FIAD, following six others organized since 2010, takes place in a particular global and continental context, as highlighted by the chairman and CEO of the Attijariwafa Bank group. In opening FIAD24, Mohamed El Kettani called for turning short-term challenges into promising opportunities. "We must adapt and take advantage of these reconfigurations to realize our potential and play an even more decisive role in the global economic cycle," he emphasized.
Drawing from the successful experience of the group he leads in Africa and various countries worldwide, El Kettani called for the convergence of visions and energies and the institutionalization of the cooperation framework, which he believes are more than ever the engines of this ambition to give Africa the means to position itself as an actor shaping its future.
Affirming that Africa is at a crossroads, Mohamed El Kettani shared with the attentive audience that the continent holds its destiny in its hands. "Today, we open a new chapter, a chapter where Africa achieves without compromise, where every challenge becomes an opportunity, where together we shape our future," he stressed.
While emphasizing the present, El Kettani also shared his optimism for the future, highlighting the positive prospects opened by the AfCFTA for intra-African trade. "In the coming years, we will witness the removal of more than 90% of customs duties. Africa is indeed at a major turning point in its history," he stated.
This FIAD24 is dedicated to the Africa "that must trust in Africa," as declared by the CEO of Attijariwafa Bank, recalling King Mohammed VI's famous appeal at the Abidjan Forum. The objective, as specified by the director of the Africa Development Club, Mouna Kadiri, the driving force behind FIAD, is to bring together intelligence to foster the emergence of new ideas and practices for the development of the continent.
To this end, a central pavilion has been reserved in the Forum's extensive exhibition space for the AfCFTA, which participates in the event with a strong delegation led by its Secretary General, Wamkele Mene. In his speech, he also emphasized the "Here and now" advocated by his hosts. "We must no longer remain the continent of potential and therefore the future. The potential is here, and we must be the continent of the present," he proclaimed. Through his words, Mene shares the same enthusiasm expressed by the Forum's organizers, an enthusiasm matched by the Minister of Trade and Industry. Ryad Mezzour also advocated for concrete action, a strategy he emphasized that has enabled Morocco to rise to prominence in the automotive industry, phosphate processing, and many other sectors.
Clearly, FIAD24 has started with great momentum. The event will feature conferences, B-to-B meetings, and exchanges within the "Investment Market" space, where Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo, in addition to Morocco, are honored. This promises to foster the emergence of new joint projects serving Africa.
