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From our special correspondent in Cotonou (Benin),
Bruno FANUCCHI for AfricaPresse.Paris (APP)
@africa_presse
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They came, they are all here ! At the invitation of the CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) of Benin, chaired by Arnaud Akakpo, many business leaders meet to participate in the three major economic events that follow one another this week in Cotonou.
Within the Palais des Congrès – as brand new, because completely renovated – on Avenue Jean-Paul II in the Beninese capital, take place successively from May 9 to 12 the 47e General Assembly of the CPCCAF (Permanent Conference of African and Francophone Consular Chambers), under the chairmanship of Christophe Eken, the African and Francophone Business Meetings (RAFA) as well as the Archipelago Meetings, which are a “ european program » joint and concrete projects with a certain number of West and Central African countries. All the main directors of the Archipelago program will receive from the first evening a “ Attestation in recognition of the work done.
Three concomitant events ultimately bringing together representatives of 130 consular chambers from more than thirty countries (including 25 in Africa) and no less than 500 business leaders from France and all over Africa to forge partnerships and talk business. Suffice to say that Cotonou, which once rightly had the reputation of being the “ latin quarter of africa “, has become for this week the essential “ african capital » cases.
During the opening ceremony on Tuesday morning, the presidents of all these organizations all took the floor in turn to congratulate themselves on these multiple business meetings and express their joy at being on Beninese soil with a single objective. : to advance many concrete and ambitious projects contributing to the economy and the development of the Continent.
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« Strong mobilization of participants »
« Strong mobilization of participants »
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The President of the CPCCAF, Christophe Eken, who is also President of the CCI of Cameroon, thus salutes the efforts made by the consular institution of Benin for the success of the event. “ The strong mobilization of the participants, he observes from the first day, testifies to a real commitment to contribute to the economic development of French-speaking Africa. ».
Family photo at the end of the opening ceremony of the 50e anniversary-of the CPCCAF. © DR
The President of the CCI of Benin, Arnauld Akakpo, welcomes all these initiatives and emphasizes “ the importance of networking here, in Cotonou » and is careful not to speak of « networking “. A networking that will certainly be a source of great encounters and, in the long term, new business beneficial to companies in the country, as well as in the entire sub-region.
Hence the presence in Cotonou of the presidents of the CCIs of many French regions, such as Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille or the Pays de la Loire, already committed and very active for several years in cooperation with countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal or Chad.
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« Long live the economic Francophonie ! »
« Long live the economic Francophonie ! »
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In this 50e anniversary, a solemn tribute is also immediately paid to the three visionary Heads of State who created the CPCCAF on May 11, 1973: namely Presidents Léopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal, Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d’Ivoire and Frenchman Georges Pompidou, just 50 years ago !
An anniversary date worthily celebrated on Wednesday evening during a reception offered by the French ambassador to Cotonou, Marc Vizir, stressing that “ their baby is still alive and even grew in wisdom and efficiency.
And President Eken to assure: “ The CPCCAF is the spearhead of the economic Francophonie because our ambition is to meet all the economic and social challenges that French-speaking Africa must face today. This is a clearly defined mission.
« It is a truism to say that the economic development of a country cannot be achieved without the support of the private sector. », observes for his part with malice Mr. Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, Minister of State for Planning and Development, saying of course the « pride of benin to welcome so many beautiful people and investors who are interested in this small but dynamic African country. But he also takes the opportunity to invite the private sector to “ Get out of your comfort zone » and to « take a little more risk ».
The words are carefully weighed but carry far beyond the borders because the entry into force – admittedly still laborious up to now – of the ZLECAF (African Trade Free Trade Area) can tomorrow become a formidable business accelerator. and South-South exchanges, transforming African economic reality and business practices.
« Since the advent of President Patrice Talon in 2016, Benin has become a land of opportunities for businessmen, likes to point out Mme Shadiya Assouman, the young Minister of Industry and Trade, whose dynamism escapes no one, declaring “ open all these different encounters.
Before concluding her short intervention with her words full of hope that she addresses to the room like a mission statement, or more exactly a roadmap, for all these fruitful meetings and the weeks to come: “ Long live the economic Francophonie ! ».
It is an ambition which, in Cotonou as in a large part of Africa, obviously has a bright future ahead of it, if we really give it substance and, of course, some means.
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The personalities of the panel and a few others who participated in our VIIIe Conference of African Ambassadors in Paris (from left to right in the photo): S. E. M. Alaa YOUSSEFAmbassador of EGYPT ; Mr. Alfred MIGNOTPresident AfricaPresse.Paris, designer and moderator of the CMAAPs ; SE M. François AS LOCALAmbassador of RWANDA ; Mme Lucia PETRYPresident of BPL Global France ; Mr. Etienne GIROSPresident of Cian ; Mme Læticia BALOUPresident of LB Global Consulting ; SEM Ayed Mousseid YahyaAmbassador of DJIBOUTI ; M. Zied LOUKILPartner Mazars France ; SE M. Vijayen VALAYDONAmbassador of MAURITIUS ; M. Emmanuel PEZÉ, Vice-President Africa and Middle East of TINUBU. © F. Reglain
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CMAAP 8 / Zied LOUKIL, Partner MAZARS France: « Africa must give itself more means to finance its SMEs »
CMAAP 8 / Lucia PETRY, President BPL Global France: « In Africa, as in the rest of the world, there are always solutions to secure international contracts in the face of political risks. »
CMAAP 8 / Emmanuel PEZÉ, VP TINUBU : « Credit insurance is a fundamental pillar for the confidence and growth of African SMEs »
CMAAP 8 / Læticia BALOU, PR by LB Global-Consulting : « The investor having a maximum of positive information his perception of the risk in Africa »
CMAAP 8 / REPLAY of our VIIIe Conference of African Ambassadors in Paris: « De-risking Africa to better finance it »
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2023-05-11 06:31:56
#Cotonou #African #business #capital #occasion #50th #anniversary #CPCCAF #AfricaPresse.Paris
