AATB Program Signs Two Agreements at Intra-African Trade Fair 2023

The Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program, one of the programs of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), signed two agreements that aim to promote growth and sustainable development for the African continent.

The agreements also aim to expand access to the continent’s markets by harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and provide cost-effective channels for the movement of goods to markets, logistics services, and infrastructure.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the conclusion of the Intra-African Trade Fair 2023 (IATF2023), which was held in Cairo.

The CEO of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) and Secretary-General of the AATB Program, Hani Salem Sonbol, signed the first agreement with the Secretary-General of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana.

It involves a grant agreement to establish a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and coordination of African standards for textiles and leather products. The aim is to promote trade development and improve quality, ensuring transformative and substantial change in the African fashion industry.

The ITFC signed the second agreement with the International Trade Center (ITC) for the “How to Export within the Framework of Intra-African Trade” program, which is set to instantly benefit the countries of Benin, Cameroon, Senegal and Togo.

The participating countries will benefit from assessing their position, developing strategies and making information-based decisions to benefit from the AfCFTA Agreement.

The CEO of ITFC and Secretary-General of the AATB Program, Hani Salem Sonbol, along with the Executive Director of ITC, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, signed the partnership agreement.