{The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete attended the first ever Arab-Africa Economic forum held in Kuwait city, Kuwait. The two day event precedes third Arab-Africa summit slated for November 19-20. }
Dubbed “Beyond promises: Moving forward towards an effective Arab- Africa partnership”, the two day forum focused on development cooperation in infrastructure, transport and energy. It also explored ways to increase investments and trade between Arab and African countries.
Speaking during the forum, Minister Gatete exhorted the Arab financing institutions to work more in financing regional development programs which will foster integration and enable inter-state trade.
“Africa is ready to do business with the rest of the world. I urge Africa- Arab development institutions to devise new financing instruments to support Africa’s ambitious transformation programs,” Minister Gatete said.
Forum explored opportunities in Africa and Arab regions that could trigger and promote collaboration between African States, the Arab region and the world at large. It focused primarily on how the private sector actors from Africa and Arab can forge sustainable partnerships with a view to enhancing trade and investment relations between the two sides. The event featured national and regional project portfolios with regional investment and export trade opportunities that require international partnerships.
“We need to explore investment opportunities together with ways and means to enhance and promote development cooperation as well as facilitate trade among Arab and African countries,” H.H. Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the State of Kuwait said.
The forum acquainted the private sector of the available opportunities to expand public private partnerships, investments and commercial activities in Arab and African countries.
The forum attracted public sector leaders, Arab, African, regional and international organizations, specialized Arab and African institutions, Arab and African intellectuals, leaders of prominent private sector establishments as well as civil society in both Africa and the Arab world.
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