[ecr]

During a press briefing on the sidelines of his visit to the African Creative Days 2024 “CANEX WKND 2024” stands at the Exhibition Palace, Algiers, Zitouni said that “on the instructions of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, we have set the bar very high compared to previous IATF editions.”

“We are targeting USD$48 billion in inter-African exchanges and between African and international companies,” he added.

“The IATF is an African economic event par excellence that our country is honored to host,” the minister said.

He further noted that Algeria has the necessary infrastructure and means to host such a major event, which enabled its candidacy to be validated by the organizing bodies: the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Regarding “CANEX WKND”, Zitouni said that this event, traditionally held before the IATF, shows that “Africa is more than just a source of raw materials. It is a continent of creativity, common journeys of the struggle of African men and women for their freedom, and of ambition to build strong and prosperous inter-African trade relations.”

He noted that “CANEX WKND 2024” days also serve as a glimpse into the preparations for “IATF 2025.”

Upon their arrival at the Exhibition Palace, the Minister of Trade and Export Promotion, Tayeb Zitouni, the Minister of Culture and Arts, Soraya Mouloudji, as well as a large delegation of Culture Ministers from several African countries and the Caribbean region visited the different stands exhibiting aspects of African creativity, culture and heritage, particularly through displays of clothing, copperware and jewelry.[/ecr]