ABIDJAN — The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), is organizing, in collaboration with the Islamic Center for Development of Trade (ICDT), the Ministry of Commerce and Handicraft and the promotion of SMEs and the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene in Côte d'Ivoire, a Buyers/Sellers meeting for importers and exporters in the field of pharmaceuticals and related industries. The meeting will be held in Abidjan on Nov. 2- 3, 2017 on the sidelines of the 4th edition of Medical Expo Côte d'Ivoire (MEXCI).

The meeting comes as part of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program launched in February 2017 in the Kingdom of Morocco, for bridging the trade gaps between the Arab and African countries, and increase trade flows between the two regions. The Buyers/Sellers meeting will be attended by representatives of the African Association of Central Purchasing Centers of Essential Drugs (ACAME), representatives and heads of several Ministries and Departments in Côte d'Ivoire as well as a large number of pharmaceutical manufacturers and investors in the field of medical supplies in the two Arab and African regions.

Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO ITFC, said this important meeting was part of the efforts of the ITFC and ICDT to strengthen trade between the Arab and African countries in order to increase the level of trade between them.

Eng. Sonbol added: “These meetings between buyers, and sellers will provide participants with a unique opportunity to learn about the promising investment opportunities in this vital sector in the African continent, where bilateral meetings will be held to discuss trade and investment opportunities.”

A study which was provided by ITFC for the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program on the imports and export opportunities between the Arab and African countries in the pharmaceutical and medical products sectors highlighted the importance of this sector as one of the most promising sectors to support trade between the two regions. — SG