President Cyril Ramaphosa will be giving the keynote address at the opening session of the Intra African Trade Fair 2021  (IATF2021) in Durban on Monday which will take place at the Inoski Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in the city.

The IATF2021 is a trade show that provides a platform to link international buyers, sellers and investors as well as allowing participants and visitors to profile and share market information and investment opportunities in support of intra-African trade and the economic integration of the continent.

Hosted by the South African government in conjunction with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), IATF2021 takes place from 15 to 21 November with the theme focussed on the newly-launched African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The free trade area is an African Union initiative that creates a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments.

The Trade Fair is expected to draw more than 10 000 visitors and buyers including more than 80 South African companies, supported by government. The firms will have an opportunity to showcase their products and services at the trade fair. The trade show will include more than 1 000 exhibitors from across Africa showcasing their goods and services.

The seven-day trade fair and exhibition includes a packed program of conference sessions featuring key leading African and international thought leaders and experts. The trade fair will provide a unique and valuable platform for the South African businesses to access an integrated African market of over 1.2 billion people with a Gross Domestic Product of over US$2.5 trillion created under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The trade fair offers South Africa an opportunity to profile and market proudly South African goods and services, build lasting networks and establish collaborations that will increase goods and services exports into the continent and position the country as the partner of choice. 

South Africa will leverage the trade fair to highlight the best of local manufacturing capabilities in, among others, the agriculture and agro-processing sector; automotive; construction and infrastructure development; consumer goods; energy and power; engineering; footwear; leather and textiles heavy Industries and light manufacturing; health care and pharmaceuticals; Information and Communication Technology and Innovation; logistics and mining sectors.