Addis Ababa: The eighth Africa Business Forum
The eighth Africa Business Forum will be held on the margins of the thirty-eighth ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 17, 2025.
Organized under the theme “From Potential to Prosperity: Activating Africa’s Regional Value Chains,” the forum builds on the work of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Regional Economic Communities, and government initiatives aimed at identifying bankable projects across the continent. These projects are designed to promote investment and facilitate job and wealth creation in Africa.
ECA is organizing the event in collaboration with the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
Participants will include representatives from governments, private enterprises, development partners, domestic and international investors, financial institutions, and civil society.
African regional value chains offer a strategic entry point for investors to participate in the continent’s accelerated industrialization and secure a foothold in a rapidly expanding market.
The Forum will provide participants with the opportunity to explore investment opportunities in regional value chains and special economic zones in Africa. It will also facilitate a common understanding of the current demand and supply of financing. These insights will help shape ECA’s analytical and operational support for the development of various regional value chains across the continent.
The forum’s key objectives are:
- To showcase investment opportunities in African regional value chains and special economic zones to attract potential investors;
- To raise awareness of regional value chains and special economic zones at national, sub-regional, continental, and international levels;
- To establish a common understanding among stakeholders on feasible solutions to overcome implementation challenges for projects related to African regional value chains.
Additionally, the Forum will serve as a platform for information exchange between traditional and non-traditional financiers. It will also assess whether there is a consensus on the need for a digital platform to support investors, states, and financial institutions in tracking current trends and opportunities related to African regional value chains and special economic zones.
The Forum also expects to gather declarations of interest in investing in specific projects related to regional value chains.
ECA has identified three particularly significant regional value chains that will be highlighted at the Africa Business Forum:
- Agro-industrial value chains
- Livestock value chains
- Pharmaceutical value chains
Organizer
Established in 1958 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is one of the UN’s five regional commissions. Its mission is to promote the economic and social development of African member states, strengthen regional integration, and foster international cooperation for the continent’s advancement.
With 54 member states, the ECA serves as both the UN’s regional arm in Africa and a key player within the continent’s institutional landscape. It mobilizes resources to address Africa’s priorities.
Core Functions of the ECA
The ECA contributes to the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 through three essential functions:
- Convening: Creating intergovernmental regional platforms to establish common policies and action frameworks.
- Think Tank: Producing multisectoral analyses that strengthen links among the pillars of sustainable development and encourage policy innovation.
- Operational: Providing strategic support to member states upon request, in collaboration with the UN system.
Mission and Strategic Orientations
The ECA’s mission is to advance an autonomous and prosperous Africa, guided by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. This mission focuses on five strategic priorities, including enhancing the ECA’s role as a knowledge hub, promoting policies for economic diversification, and advocating for Africa’s voice in global governance.
The ECA is led by an Executive Secretary, supported by two Deputy Executive Secretaries, coordinating actions towards a sustainable and inclusive Africa.
