IABW 2018 – Italia Africa Business Week – Second edition
17-18 October 2018
Press Release
Fashion, agribusiness, industry, sustainability, technologies, culture, arts and a very strong will to grow together: the second edition of IABW – Italia Africa Business Week, the first business Forum entirely dedicated to Italian and African entrepreneurs, came to an end. This is a Forum that in its 2018 edition opened the doors to more than 200 guests every day coming from more than 36 countries: diplomats, entrepreneurs and business managers, brokers, facilitators, analysts, journalists, the success of the second edition of Italia Africa Business Week, which beats the numbers of last year, is mainly due to the strong will to build bridges between the coasts north and south of the Mediterranean.
The success of the second edition of IABW, which welcomed and hosted delegations of entrepreneurs and businesses coming from 30 African nations, almost two thirds of those of the African Union, demonstrates not only the will of Italy by many businesses and start-up of the continent but also the will of Italian enterprises to discover Africa, to tell a different African story, closer to the complexity of the business reality south of the Mediterranean. Italy is the first European country for foreign direct investments realized in 2016 in Africa, with a total of 20 projects for a total value of 4 billion dollars [data fDi Markets]. On a global level, Italy is only behind China (36,1 billions of dollars of direct investments in 2016), United Arab Emirates (11 billions) and Morocco (4,8 billions) and overall Italian investments in Africa represented in 2016, 4.3% of all direct investments in the continent.
This trend consolidated in 2017: as stressed during the opening conference by the Italian deputy ministry of Foreign Affairs and of International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, in 2017 Italian direct investments in Africa amounted for 11.6 billions of dollars. According to the main economic indicators, the Italian position might be confirmed also in 2018, which is a sign of how Italy is already present in Africa in a widespread manner: «The success of this initiative shows how Italy and Africa are getting closer. The aim now is to communicate Italy in Africa and Africa in Italy» Cleophas Adrien Dioma, Executive President IABW said at the end of the Forum.
The event is organised by Le Réseau Association in partnership with Confindustria Assafrica&Mediterraneo, Africa&Affari magazine and the patronage of the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development, Unioncamere, Enea, Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa.
The main aim of Italia Africa Business Week is to create a permanent forum, a real platform for the development of business and international cooperation partnerships between Italy and Africa.
Next edition, in the autumn of 2019, will be held in Milan.
External Communication Manager IABW2018
Piervincenzo Canale
cell: + 39 349 3247294
mail: externalrelations@iabw.eu
