UK Hosts West and Central Africa Trade and Investment Forum
From 17 to 18 October 2023, the West and Central Africa Trade and Investment Forum (WCAF) took place at the Merchant Taylor’s Hall in London. The Forum was jointly organized by the UK Export Finance (UKEF) — UK’s export credit agency — and DMA Invest.
Delegations from seven Francophone countries, namely, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Senegal and Togo, attended the event. The region distinguishes itself with some of the highest economic growth rates in Africa. During the Forum, each delegation was given the opportunity to highlight trade and investment opportunities in their country.
“West and Central Africa is a huge investment opportunity for the UK. This Forum is an excellent demonstration of the UK continuing to strengthen our trade ties and open up new export and investment opportunities for businesses.”
UK International Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston
The representatives had the unique experience to ceremonially ring the opening bell at the London Stock Exchange to mark the successful start of the Forum. For this edition, the key cooperation themes are agriculture, energy, healthcare and sustainability.
The WCAF was first held in 2022 and the theme for this 2023 edition is “From Ambition to Action”. This 2nd WCAF also serves as a warm-up to the UK-Africa Investment Summit scheduled for April 2024.
