Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente on Monday, November 15, arrived in South Africa for the opening session of this year’s Intra Africa Trade Fair (IATF). Ngirente, who represents President Paul Kagame, is also expected to deliver remarks at the continental trade show that is organized by continental institutions including the African Union and Afreximbank among others. The event is being held in Durban, at the Inkosi Albert Lithulu International Convention Centre according to local media reports. The IATF2021 is a trade show that provides a platform for linking international buyers, sellers and investors. It also allows for 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. According to the agenda, the theme will focus on the newly-launched African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The bloc is an African Union (AU) initiative that creates a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments. Around 10,000 participants are expected to participate with more than 1 000 exhibitors from across Africa showcasing their goods and services. Like the majority of the countries, Rwanda will leverage the platform to develop local manufacturing capabilities in pharmaceuticals, infrastructure development among other sectors. For instance, the government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with BioNTech to initiate the construction of the state-of-the-art manufacturing plant for mRNA-based vaccines. The ground breaking ceremony of the facility is slated for mid-2022.
