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Afreximbank urges Rwandan businesses to exploit IATF2020 to tap AfCFTA benefits

Afreximbank

The second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2020) will provide key pathways for the Rwandan private sector to access intra-African trade opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Kanayo Awani, Managing Director of Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Initiative, has said.

Addressing the opening of a roadshow held in Kigali recently day to raise awareness about IATF2020 and to showcase Afreximbank products and services, Ms Awani said that the way each country prepared for the operational phase of the AfCFTA, which will commence on 1 July, would determine how successful it would benefit from the initiative.

She said that IATF2020 would provide strong business insight within Africa by connecting buyers and sellers of goods and services across the continent.

As the host country of IATF2020, Rwanda and Rwandan businesses would be the greatest beneficiaries of the trade fair said Ms Awani.

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“IATF2020, we believe, will transform the way Africans trade with each other, and, specifically, the way Rwanda trades with other African countries,” she said.

Stephen Ruzibiza, CEO of Private Sector Federation Rwanda, which co-organised the roadshow, said that the commencement of trade under the AfCFTA was a critical moment for Africa and that the efforts to be deployed would determine success.

“If we don’t put more emphasis now, then we may not realise the benefits of the AfCFTA and intra-African trade,” he told the audience.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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