Intra-Africa Trade Show – the place for heavyweight decision-makers
Automotive heavyweights from several countries in Africa will congregate in Durban this week at the Automotive Show, forming part of the Intra-Africa Trade Fair at the Durban Exhibition Centre.
Africa’s automotive policy and industry decision-makers will meet to discuss how the auto sector can drive industrialisation on the continent.
According to Automotive Show co-ordinator, Andrew Binning, CEO of Inkanyezi Events, the Automotive Forum will include a roundtable of Heads of State of several countries considering automotive industrialisation. These should include Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, Kenya and South Africa. The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) H.E. Felix- Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has been asked to facilitate the Round Table.
“The Forum has attracted Heads of State, industry executives and African industrialists around this agenda, but the wider exhibition, match-making and networking opportunities will connect suppliers of raw materials, vehicles, automotive parts, aftermarket services and technology with buyers across Africa,’’ Binning said.
Featured among the exhibiting global brands are Nissan, Isuzu, EL Industries International, Bosch Automotive, Manelise Group, Medaturist Nigeria, DataDot, Maxe, the AAAM and the German Association of the Automotive Industry, among others.
Binning said the Forum, was constituted by The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) and would include presentations from AAAM President Mike Whitfield, and Chairman of Nissan’s Africa Business Unit.
Automotive Forum speakers will address six key themes for the sustainable and viable development of automotive manufacturing on the continent, over two days on November 16 and 17.
AAAM Executive Director Dave Coffey said the Automotive Tradeshow and Forum at IATF provided “an essential opportunity for policy and automotive decision makers across the continent to refine a common understanding and deepen relationships.
“The Automotive Forum will connect this range of important role players and pave the path to an African automotive manufacturing supply chain that can optimise the new African Free Trade Agreement.’’
