Vision
EMRC’s vision is a growing Africa which is interconnected with the world economy in an inclusive and equitable manner.
We are dedicated to strengthening the private sector, in order to establish a sustainable and vibrant African economy.
EMRC’s vision is a growing Africa which is interconnected with the world economy in an inclusive and equitable manner.
We are dedicated to strengthening the private sector, in order to establish a sustainable and vibrant African economy.
To achieve a solid private sector in Africa, SMEs and all stakeholders must benefit from quality learning, connections and development support.
Our strategy is to provide Africa’s decision makers from the private and public sector with pragmatic business-designed platforms, networking opportunities, trade-missions and capacity development programmes.
More than two decades of collaboration have taught us that a healthy organisation needs strong foundations. Our partners are the pillars of our platforms and initiatives.
Over twenty years ago EMRC recognized Africa’s potential and the important role African entrepreneurs represented for the continent’s future.
Initially focusing on agriculture and entrepreneurship, our expertise has grown to include access to finance, promote public-private dialogue, as well as bridging the gap between SMEs, new technologies and capacity building.
Following the falling of the Berlin wall and the opening of markets, and in line with the European vision “towards the European single market”, EMRC is established to allow those beyond the “European Community” borders, but still in Europe, access the European market, understand its needs and expand their own networks. Emphasize is put on the economic ties between Eastern and Western Europe.
Prof. Pierre Mathijsen has retired from the European Commission as Director General of the Regional Development Directorate and Director at the European Investment Bank. He joins EMRC and is elected President; he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as to the development of economic ties between less and more developed states.
Recognizing the important role Africa’s private sector can, wants and needs to play in developing the continent’s economy, EMRC turns towards the black continent. From now on and thanks to Jean Dominique Kamba who joined the EMRC Executive Committee, more Africans, from the private and public sector, join our activities.
Babacar Ndiaye just ended his two-term Presidency at the African Development Bank and formed the African Business Roundtable, to attract more private sector players to Africa. He leads a group of officers to the first economic mission Africa-Israel, where Jacques Attali, the honorary guest speaker, presents his view of a regional Middle Eastern bank.
EMRC turns its attention to food production in Africa and travels with potential investors to Western Africa – Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana – to visit projects that require development and investment.
The first AgriBusiness Forum is held in Brussels, with experts from Rabobank Foundation, FAO, the European Commission and others, where discussions on food security and possible collaboration North-South are presented.
At the EMRC Forum in Brussels and in the presence of the media, the private and public sector, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance of Nigeria, receives the EMRC Award for her tenacity and good economic programme to boost the country’s development.
Rabobank Foundation becomes a solid supporter to EMRC AgriBusiness Forum, held annually in Brussels, with some 150-200 delegates and from now on more than half from Africa.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is established, to discuss innovative financing instruments and investment opportunities in Africa.
FAO confirms its support to EMRC and hosts the AgriBusiness Forum in Rome, at its headquarters. This helps boost the participation from Africa
November: For the first time, EMRC is invited to organise its business forum outside of Belgium. The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is held in Lisbon, Portugal, under the patronage of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union.
EMRC experts are invited to Lubumbashi, Katanga Province, DR Congo to perform a study on the fish farming potential.
The EMRC-Rabobank Project Incubator Award is initiated at the FAO that once again hosts the AgriBusiness Forum in its headquarters in Rome. Pierre van Hedel, Managing Director of Rabobank Foundation, awards the Rwandan coffee producers for their innovative marketing approach.
EMRC experts travel to Chad to perform a study in 6 villages in the Southern provinces of the country and to help develop and build the most appropriate farms.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is hosted at the Credit Agricole and Mupeci, a Cameroonian micro-finance institution receives the Entrepreneurship Award.
Following the encouragement of our partners, the AgriBusiness Forum moves to Africa. The first Africa-edition of the AgriBusiness Forum is held in Cape Town, South Africa, with the support of the SA government and its Minister of Agriculture, Tina Joemat-Pettersson. Number of delegates rises to over 350.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is hosted at the ABN Amro Bank in Amsterdam, with FMO as leading partner. The collaboration agreement between FMO and the East African Bank is signed.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, in his speech at the AgriBusiness Forum in Kampala, congratulates EMRC for its good and hard work to the benefit of all Africans. Prime Minister of Chad Emmanuel Nadingar leads a large delegation and enjoys extensive media attention.
To encourage inter-regional collaboration, the Economic Mission India-Africa is launched, with the support of ICRISAT and the first group is hosted at ICRISAT’s campus in Hyderabad.
EMRC and the African Development Bank join forces and hold the Africa Finance & Investment Forum, with an emphasis on the Missing Middle, at the AfDB annual meetings in Lisbon.
The Economic Mission India-Africa with ICRISAT and the Economic Mission Africa-Israel both aim to present advanced and successful agricultural techniques that helped the two nations develop.
The AgriBusiness Forum is held in Dakar under the auspices of Senegal’s President Macky Sall.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is hosted at Rabobank headquarters in Utrecht, Netherlands, in collaboration with Food First.
The Training Programmes for Entrepreneurs are launched in Brussels, designed for small groups of entrepreneurs and tailor-made to their needs.
The AgriBusiness Forum is held in Kigali under the auspices of Rwanda’s Government and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. A special guest is Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, then Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum travels to Geneva, and enjoys the support of the UN agency ITC – International Trade Center, among many others.
EMRC leads a group of entrepreneurs to New Delhi to meet local entrepreneurs; the visit is coordinated with the Confederation of India’s Industries.
Prof. Monty Jones, the 2004 Winner of the World Food Prize for his discovery of NERICA (New Rice for Africa), leaves FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), that he led from its inception in 2003. He is elected President of EMRC.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum is hosted at KFW/DEG headquarters in Cologne.
The AgriBusiness Forum is held in Kinshasa, under the auspices of President Kabila, with a record number of over 600 participants.
The Africa Finance & Investment Forum moves to Africa, for the first time and is held in Cape Town. The Health Entrepreneurship Award is launched, sponsored by Pfizer.
I first and foremost would like to thank EMRC’s Executive Committee for their confidence and for confirming me as its President, effective 1st January 2014. I accepted to serve as President because I believe in EMRC’s mission, which is to contribute to the development of the private sector in Africa by boosting sustainable and responsible economic growth through partnerships, public-private projects and others, trade, transfer of knowledge and attracting investment into the continent.
I first and foremost would like to thank EMRC’s Executive Committee for their confidence and for confirming me as its President, effective 1st January 2014. I accepted to serve as President because I believe in EMRC’s mission, which is to contribute to the development of the private sector in Africa by boosting sustainable and responsible economic growth through partnerships, public-private projects and others, trade, transfer of knowledge and attracting investment into the continent.
I believe in EMRC’s mission, which is to contribute to the development of the private sector in Africa by boosting sustainable and responsible economic growth through partnerships, public-private projects and others, trade, transfer of knowledge and attracting investment into the continent.
Sincerely yours, Prof. Monty Jones,
President of the Executive Committee, EMRC
VP & Managing Director
Market Development Officer
Digital & Communication Specialist
Information is the ‘food’ which feeds economic growth. Read the latest news impacting Africa’s Private Sector.
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Ensuring food security, reducing poverty by increasing the integration and regional synergies of Central Africa (Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea) is the challenge of CEMAC (Economic Community of Central African States).
Rwanda assembly begins, at the rate of 1,000 a year, with Polo and Passat. Capacity for 5,000 units is planned
Rwanda assembly begins, at the rate of 1,000 a year, with Polo and Passat. Capacity for 5,000 units is planned
Volkswagen has launched integrated mobility in Rwanda which includes local vehicle assembly, mobility services and a sales and service retail outlet called CFAO Volkswagen Rwanda.
Kenya has positioned itself as one of the most prominent startup destinations in Africa.
With the rise of innovation hubs and accelerator programs in Kenya, there has been great growth for entrepreneurs with over 600 hundred start-ups in the country.
Access to internet and a great education system are also some contributors to the increase in startups and innovation.
The World Bank said sub-Saharan Africa’s economy growth was projected to reach 3.1 percent in 2018, and an average of 3.6 percent between 2019 and 2020.
Addis Ababa — Information technology is being utilised more than ever to improve agriculture in East Africa.
The world talks a lot about the digital revolution, but few connect it to the coming agriculture revolution, especially in Africa. Digital solutions have huge potential for helping farmers boost productivity and connect to financial tools and markets around the world.