The upcoming 4th Intra-African Trade Fair, to be held from 4 to 10 September, in Algiers, is considered as a key platform to highlight the productive potential of the national economic fabric, according to officials from employers’ organizations and national professional associations.
In statements to APS, these representatives stressed the importance of this event, describing it as a “genuine platform” that offers a clear image of the capabilities of Algerian companies while paving the way for the expansion of exports to the African market. The president of the Algerian Confederation of Employers (CAP), Tahar Bouzid, said the IATF represents “an ideal opportunity for Algerian companies to demonstrate their productive capacities across various sectors and to assert their readiness to conquer African markets.” He added that the fair will allow the establishment of strategic partnerships, strengthening the competitiveness of Algerian enterprises and integrating them into African value chains, thus contributing to the objectives of diversifying the national economy and boosting non-hydrocarbon exports.
Bouzid emphasized that Algeria’s organization of the IATF reflects renewed recognition of its economic standing and confirms its role as a leader in promoting continental integration. He called for the event to be used as an opportunity to improve African coordination in tackling challenges faced by businesses, particularly project financing, support mechanisms for entrepreneurs, the removal of logistical and customs barriers to facilitate trade, and the strengthening of small and medium-sized enterprises. For him, the fair’s significance lies in going well beyond a simple exhibition space to serve as a genuine platform for concluding agreements and contracts that benefit African companies.
The secretary-general of the General Union of Algerian Traders and Craftsmen (UGCAA), Issam Bedrissi, said Algeria’s hosting of this major economic event is an important step in implementing its policy to diversify the economy and raise non-hydrocarbon exports to $30 billion in the medium term, particularly toward African markets. He stressed that the fair will give SMEs, artisans, and self-entrepreneurs the chance to showcase and enhance their expertise through partnerships and export contracts. The UGCAA, he added, will take part in the IATF through the National Federation of Barter Trade, highlighting the importance of barter as an effective mechanism for market integration and one of the key topics for debate during the event.
For his part, the vice-president of the National Association of Algerian Exporters (ANEXAL), Ali Bey Nasri, said Algerian operators will seize this opportunity to present their expertise in various fields and explore cooperation opportunities with their African counterparts. Noting that the current volume of intra-African trade does not reflect the real potential of the continent’s markets, Bey Nasri stressed that the IATF will be an occasion for Algerian exporters to better understand African market needs and strengths in order to strengthen their presence. Beyond traditional non-hydrocarbon export sectors, he emphasized the importance of showcasing expertise developed over decades, particularly in construction, public works, pharmaceuticals, and agri-food industries, to place them at the service of African markets. He also urged operators to prepare effectively for the event and to conduct a thorough evaluation of results afterward, given that it will feature numerous business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) meetings.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the Economic Studies and Investment Development Company (SEEDI), Hichem Saidi, underlined the need to capitalize on the current momentum of the export sector, at a time when many Algerian products are gaining ground abroad, to turn the fair into an opportunity for building a lasting presence in African markets. Ongoing banking reforms and the establishment of Algerian banks in several African countries, he explained, are boosting operators’ confidence in achieving these objectives, with expected contracts estimated at more than $44 billion.
For his part, the president of the National Association of Traders and Craftsmen (ANCA), Hadj Tahar Boulenouar, considered Algeria’s hosting of the IATF to be “a valuable opportunity for national companies to promote their products and services, while opening new perspectives for operators and professionals in investment, partnership, exports, and diversification of distribution networks.” He called on all professionals, SME and startup leaders, as well as project holders, not to miss this occasion to promote their activities, benefit from the experiences of companies active on the African scene, and seize the partnership and investment opportunities offered by the event.
