Africa Finance & Investment Forum
The
Africa Finance & Investment Forum (AFIF) is one of EMRC’s showcase events, aimed at strengthening the private sector in Africa, by encouraging partnerships and attracting investments. The forum attracts entrepreneurs interested in securing finance for projects and seeking project partnerships; as well as policy makers, financiers and bankers. In 2007 the forum was organised in Lisbon, under the patronage of the Portuguese EU Presidency, in 2008 the event took place in Paris at the Credit Agricole headquarters and in Dec. 2009, AFIF was organised in partnership with the FMO and took place in Amsterdam at the ABN AMRO Bank headquarters. Over 300 delegates from around the world attend this prestigious event.
Forum Objectives:
- Highlight the potential of SMEs
- Present examples of successul financial innovations as well as non-financial services
- Illustrate Africa's investment needs
- Organise business meetings
- Present innovative projects and techniques
Attendees include:
- Commercial & development banks
- Business promotion facilitators
- Private sector businesses
- International organisations
- Government officials
- Research Institutes and business schools
- Technology companies
- Consultants
Speakers include:
- Project Managers
- Researchers
- Government Officials
- Policy makers
- CEOs/Managing Director from all sectors of activity
- Economists
- Finance Experts
Initiated in 2008 at the FAO headquarters in Rome, the
Project Incubator Award encourages innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. At the AFIF 2008 in Paris, a US$10.000 prize was awarded by Rabobank to MUPECI, a Cameroonian microfinance institution, for its Soya farming project. At the AgriBusiness Forum held in Cape Town in 2009 the US$15.000 prize went to the Coopérative Générale de Sepingo of Côte d’Ivoire for their cashew nuts cooperative project. At the AFIF 2009 EMRC, for the first time, partnered with the African Development Bank (AfDB) that offered a US$15.000 prize to Derekorp, a fruit processing business based in Uganda.