Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

AIW’s inaugural edition emphasized building regional value chains to accelerate structural transformation and industrialization. Key discussions revolved around:

  • Aligning regional manufacturing efforts with the AfCFTA framework.
  • Highlighting the role of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in regional development.
  • A spotlight event on pharmaceutical production under the AU-NEPAD Africa Pharma initiative.

 

Key Takeaways:

  • Enhanced awareness of Africa’s industrialization agenda.
  • Development of strategies for integrating SMEs into regional and global value chains​.