The two-day forum, co-organized by the Government of Rwanda and TradeMark Africa (TMA), will bring together Heads of State, government officials, development partners, academicians, multilateral organizations, and private sector leaders from 14 TMA implementation countries and beyond.
TMA focuses on promoting trade and regional integration across a range of countries, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea. These nations form the core of TMA's efforts to enhance trade facilitation, reduce barriers, and drive economic growth through innovative projects and partnerships.
Held under the theme 'Digital Trade,' this year's forum will highlight transformative digital trade practices and technologies. The forum will be officially opened at the Kigali Convention Centre by Rwanda's Prime Minister, Édouard Ngirente.
According to the organizers, key discussions will explore the interoperability of digital payments, the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) and artificial intelligence in trade processes, and the role of automation in supporting green trade initiatives. The sessions aim to address leveraging technology to streamline trade facilitation, enhance policy frameworks, and foster sustainable development across Africa.
This marks the first time the forum will be held in Rwanda, following previous editions in Kenya (2011, 2012, 2014, and 2019) and Uganda (2018).
David Beer, CEO of TradeMark Africa, emphasized the forum's significance in advancing Africa's economic prosperity.
'TradeMark is driven entirely by generating practical results to remove trade barriers and drive up exports within and from Africa. While we have seen serious progress from trade facilitation interventions in the last decade, there is another big step forward to take,' he said.
'The 2024 forum will focus on propagating digitization successes more widely and introducing cutting-edge technologies. We look forward to sharing lessons and presenting innovative ideas to help governments and the private sector further drive down the cost and time of trade.'
The forum is expected to drive Africa's trade integration, leveraging digital solutions to build sustainable, seamless trade systems that enhance regional and global competitiveness.
This year's conference will culminate in the development of the Africa Trade Development Forum Kigali Declaration, which will capture the key insights and decisions arising from the event's discussions.
Additionally, TradeMark Africa (TMA) is set to unveil the Trade Facilitation Flagship Document, a report that outlines emerging trends in Africa's trade facilitation and showcases innovative technologies designed to streamline and enhance trading processes.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/business/article/rwanda-to-host-africa-trade-development-forum-2024
