Trade fairs • Energy, renewables, photovoltaic, wind, power

Trade fair • Africa • 2020

Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa 2020

The four-day digital event is to provide a platform for valuable business contacts between leading global manufacturers and top buyers from the African agrofood & plastprintpack industry

fairtrade, the Germany based organiser behind the leading agrofood & plastprintpack trade shows in Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Nigeria launch a new event called Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa, taking place 19 to 22 October 2020.

The four-day digital event is to provide a platform for valuable business contacts between leading global manufacturers and top buyers from the African agrofood & plastprintpack industry. It offers an AI-backed matchmaking platform. Every exhibitor has his profile and logo and the picture of his stand rep as part of his virtual booth from which he can show corporate videos, showcase his products, talk to his visitors via instant video calls, live stream product demos and much more. For visitors, the event is free to attend.

In addition to the B2B meetings, the event offers conferences with inspiring speakers and relevant content, webinars, workshops, roundtables, live demos, panel sessions and product launches. Events designed to capture the situation in certain African countries and regions are dedicated to Algeria & the Maghreb, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast & West Africa as well as Ethiopia, Kenya & East Africa.

Paul Maerz, Managing Director at fairtrade says: "Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa is a direct response to what our trade visitor network has told us they need – an opportunity to meet with suppliers, source new products, network with existing and new business contacts as well as a place to be inspired and learn. All this on an African scale. We are delighted to build on our 30 years of experience as organisers of agrofood & plastprintpack events to create a digital platform that serves the African and global community in these unprecedented times."

Facts and figures on Africa's agrofood & plastprintpack imports

agro: To diversify Africa's economies and revive its rural areas, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed US$ 24 billion towards agricultural industrialization. According to the German Engineering Federation VDMA, Africa's agricultural machinery imports amount to well over one and a half billion euros annually.
food + bev tec: Imports of food processing & packaging technology account for €2.977 billion in 2018, after €2,801 billion in 2017 (+6.3%). This puts Africa on a par with Southeast Asia's €2.893 billion, but well ahead of South America's €1.843 billion, Central America's €1.775 billion and the Middle East's €1.678 billion. (VDMA)
food ingredients: With 1.3 billion inhabitants, Africa has long been one of largest food markets in the world. Expenditure in the F&B sector is growing steadily and F&B production is by far the largest segment of the African processing industry.
food + hospitality: According to the African Development Bank, Africa's annual food imports are estimated to rise from US$ 35 billion to US$ 110 billion by 2025.
plast: Africa is a huge importer of plastics in primary forms. Imports of plastics raw materials grew by 5.9% annually between 2011 and 2017, from 4,220 kt to 5,939 kt, +41%. (Euromap) Africa's imports of plastics technology made up for €997.132 million in 2018. This places Africa well ahead of South America's €722.052 million and the Middle East's €671.256 million. (VDMA)
print: Africa's imports of printing & paper processing technology represent €733 million in 2018. This ranks the continent well ahead of South America's €680 million, Central America's €669 million and the Middle East's €634 million. (VDMA)
pack: Africa's imports of packaging technology make up for €1.367 billion in 2018. This puts Africa on a par with Southeast Asia's €1.303 billion, but well ahead of South America's €952 million, Central America's €860 million and the Middle East's €851 million.

For more information: www.virtual-africa.net

Africa Oil & Power 2019 • Oct 9-11

Time to Make Energy Work for Africa

It is long past time that we made energy work for Africa. It is past time that Africa’s natural resources benefited Africans; that every African had access to electricity; and that the wealth created by oil and gas would lead to the sustainable development of African economies. Certainly, much needs to be done to make these dreams a reality, and the continent’s top leaders in the energy industry will gather in Cape Town on October 9-11 in Africa Oil & Power 2019to drive the conversation forward and #MakeEnergyWork.

Thankfully, success stories and opportunities abound. The incredible story of Senegal, for example, stands as a roadmap on creating a transparent government; building the needed infrastructure to support future development; creating an attractive regulatory framework to bring in much-needed FID and new investment; and for using the oil and gas sector to spur new growth.

The country, led by H.E. Macky Sall, the President of the Republic of Senegal, has seen tremendous growth in the last decade, consistently ranking in the top ten fastest-growing economies in the world.

Government reforms, led by Sall, have improved Senegal’s image both domestically and abroad, encouraging a string of new investment in oil and gas, electricity, roads, fisheries and tourism.

The outlook for the country’s oil and gas sector, led by Sall, is bullish, with two of the world’s most-watched projects -- SNE oilfield and the Great Tortue/Ahmeyim gas project -- moving forward. Both are expected to start producing export revenues in the early 2020s. H.E. Sall, winner of the prestigious “Africa Oil Man of the Year” award during the 2019 Africa Oil & Power conference, has certainly provided Africans with a strong example of leadership and cooperation. We are honored to recognize and support H.E. Sall’s achievements and continued efforts at Africa Oil & Power.

At Atlas-Oranto, we are proud to be leading pioneers in the sustainable development of Africa’s energy sector, ensuring growth in countries like South Sudan, where we are honored to operate Block B3; in Equatorial Guinea where we operate Block I and in Nigeria, where we operate OML109.

In total, Atlas-Oranto is active in 11 countries in Africa and we are committed to working with the governments and communities of these countries to ensure our operations meet the highest standards of energy development.

In Equatorial Guinea, for example, we are currently investing $350 million into the country’s gas monetization and backfill project. At Atlas-Oranto -- Africa’s largest privately-held, Africa-focused exploration and production group -- we have faith in Africans, and we invest heavily in frontier markets so that the continent as a whole can continue to grow.

We know first-hand what it takes to get new investments off the ground and how to grow small-to-medium enterprises.

It takes boots on the ground, as well as understanding and coordination with our brothers and sisters around the world. Indeed, with new investment opportunities on the horizon and a new drive to cooperate across borders, now is the time to spur this sustainable growth in Africa with energy as the catalyst.

At Africa Oil & Power 2019, many of these opportunities will be featured, including the ongoing licensing rounds in Equatorial Guinea and Angola; the launch of the South Sudan licensing round; and more. For three days, over 1,200 of Africa’s foremost thought leaders, industry experts, private sector executives and government officials will gather together to discuss the incredible role of technology in Africa’s energy sector; the rise of renewables; the incredible upstream opportunities from South Africa to Senegal and the need for cooperation. Let’s get busy and #MakeEnergyWork.

Author: Prince Arthur Eze • 2nd Sep 2019