The 6th edition of the Africa Development International Forum (# FIAD2019) opened on Thursday, March 14, 2019 in Casablanca with a remarkable address by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, whose country is the guest of honor. “Africa is a land of opportunity, growth and expansion with one of the highest concentrations of natural resources in the world,” says President Maada Bio at the opening of the forum “When the East meets the West “, placed firmly under the sign of continental integration.
Welcoming the leadership of King Mohammed VI for the development and integration of the continent, the Sierra Leonean president calls for political stability as a necessary condition for investment and growth. And to invite his peers to join efforts to fight corruption and improve the business environment of their respective countries.
Sierra Leone has a single window overseen by the Vice President to save time and procedures for project leaders. “The goal is now to diversify our economy,” says the president who mentions agri-business and tourism in addition to the mining sectors, main suppliers of foreign currency.
In the coming years, the focus will be on education and human capital development, continues President Maada Bio in a marquee of 2000 businessmen and policy makers from 34 countries.
Speaking at the meeting, Attijariwafa Bank President Mohamed El Kettani recalled that 8,000 African operators have held 17,000 B to B meetings since the launch of the forum in 2010. “The FIAD is a place for dialogue and usability, “continues El Kettani, who paints a global geopolitical picture of uncertainties but where Africa is an island of stability. Nevertheless, worries the president of the leading bank in North Africa, West and Central by assets, the level of African debt, which reaches 53% of its GDP, calls for reforms. On the other hand, President Kettani calls for strengthening African integration through concrete projects linking East to West. “Africa’s future will be with its women, who make up 70 percent of the agricultural labor force,” says Kettani.
The Africa Development International Forum offers a conference area, B to B meetings and a market place to meet countries and investors. The event is organized by Attijariwafa Bank (subsidiary of the pan-African investment fund Al Mada) through the Africa Development Club, a vast network of influence including 3,000 economic operators from all sectors that interact through a virtual space accessible to members .
