The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union (AU) and the Government of Rwanda have decided to postpone by one year the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2020) in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

The fair was set to take place from September 1 to 7 in Kigali, Rwanda.

 

This decision was endorsed by the IATF2020 Advisory Council during its sixth meeting held virtually on April 26, after careful assessment of the situation, said a statement.

 

Organised by Afreximbank in collaboration with the AU, the second IATF will still be hosted by the Government of Rwanda and is now scheduled to take place from September 6 to 12 in Kigali. It will now be dubbed IATF2021.

 

Afreximbank President Prof Benedict Oramah said the continuing Covid-19 pandemic situation was not conducive to holding such an important pan-African event.

 

“The Covid-19 pandemic has forced governments, corporations and individuals to take unprecedented measures to ensure public safety,” he said. “It is our responsibility to comply with these measures to protect our host country and ensure the health and safety of all delegates, exhibitors and participants who have confirmed or expressed interest in taking part in the second edition of IATF.”

 

Stressing the need to enable participants to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the trade fair, Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union, said that the postponement would allow stakeholders to focus on the urgent collective task of responding to the pandemic.

 

“We are facing an unprecedented health crisis. This is the time to join efforts to also mitigate the impact of the pandemic on African economies. We have agreed that the second IATF needed to take place in a more favourable context to enable African countries and companies to take full advantage of the Trade Fair, which will now become an element of their recovery strategy,” said Muchanga.

 

Soraya Hakuziyaremye, Minister of Trade and Industry of Rwanda, reiterated the commitment of the Government of Rwanda to the success of the trade fair. 

 

“The reality we are confronted with today as we fight the spread of Covid-19 has prompted us to look at various factors which will undoubtedly impact African businesses and investors this year. In partnership with Afreximbank and the AU Commission, Rwanda is looking forward to the second IATF in 2021 to boost intra African trade, which is more than ever crucial to the development of our continent,”  Hakuziyaremye said.

 

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, IATF Advisory Council Chairman and former President of Nigeria, said: “We offer sincere condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of all those who have lost their lives because of the coronavirus. We also wish all those who have been affected by the virus speedy recovery. We hope that this pandemic will soon be overcome to enable normal businesses to resume and underpin the forthcoming trade fair." 

 

The Advisory Council also decided to postpone the third edition of IATF from 2022 to 2023 to be in line with the two-year intervals between IATF events. - TradeArabia News Service