In a compelling display of cross-continental cooperation, the Club Afrique Développement (CAD), the pan-African business platform spearheaded by Morocco’s Attijariwafa bank, convened its 41st multisectoral mission in Cairo this week, reinforcing its position as one of the continent’s most active enablers of regional integration and investment diplomacy.
Held on May 14–15 in partnership with Attijariwafa bank Egypt, the summit drew over 300 economic and institutional decision-makers from 12 African nations. The event served not merely as a forum, but as a platform for strategic alignment between public and private sector actors seeking to recalibrate Africa’s investment flows on African terms.
A Pan-African Vanguard
Delegations from Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Chad, Togo and Tunisia were present—each flanked by representatives from Attijariwafa’s extensive African banking network. Among the key figures in attendance were Mohamed El Ghazi, CEO of Société Ivoirienne de Banque; Mounir Ibrahim, CEO of Attijari bank Mauritanie; and Alexandre Beziaud, CEO of SCB Cameroun—underscoring the Group’s integrated continental footprint.
The event was not short on institutional gravitas either. In attendance were Dr. Islam Azzam, Vice Chairman of Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority; Dr. Tarek El Kholy, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt; Dr. Hala El Said, senior economic advisor to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi; and Dr. Sherif Farouk, Egypt’s Minister of Supply and Internal Trade. These figures joined senior executives from Attijariwafa, including Co-CEO Ismaïl Douiri and Egypt CEO Mouawia Essekelli, alongside Mouna Kadiri, Director of the CAD.
Thematic Focus: Bridging Markets, Building Futures
Under the banner “Connecting Markets, Building the Future,” discussions focused on reengineering Africa’s internal trade architecture. A standout session on intra-African investment brought together regulators, industrial leaders and investment agency heads, including Hossam Heba (CEO, GAFI), Hazem Annan (Vice President, General Authority for Industrial Development), and Hani Berzi (CEO, Edita Food Industries), along with top officials from Senegal’s APIX and Cameroon’s API.
The consensus: Africa’s potential lies not in isolation, but in convergence—via joint ventures, cross-border industrial corridors, and harmonised financial frameworks.
Business, Not Talk
Crucially, the summit was not just about policy and promises. Over 400 pre-arranged B2B meetings were held, spanning critical sectors such as agribusiness, infrastructure, automotive, and wholesale distribution. For many participants, these encounters offered more than just business cards—they opened the door to transactional clarity and on-the-ground partnerships.
Delegates also toured Egypt’s vast 10th of Ramadan Industrial Zone, one of the Middle East’s largest industrial enclaves, home to over 6,000 manufacturing units. The site visit gave foreign investors a first-hand look at Egypt’s logistical infrastructure and export-readiness.
Next on the Horizon
Building on this momentum, the CAD announced two forthcoming missions: Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo (June 24–25), and Libreville, Gabon (October 22–23). Each will aim to replicate Cairo’s success in fostering bilateral and multilateral economic pathways, as part of a broader strategy to shift Africa from aid dependency to intraregional self-reliance.
A Decade of Continental Engineering
Since its launch in 2010, the Club Afrique Développement has emerged as a cornerstone of Attijariwafa bank’s continental strategy. With over 6,000 active members and 31,000 business meetings facilitated across 15 countries, the platform has catalysed connections among more than 23,000 firms and institutions. In doing so, it has transformed itself into far more than a business club—it is now a pillar of the emerging African economic order.
