The Spanish Chamber of Commerce hosted the establishment of the Ibero-African Association of Chambers of Commerce ( AFRICO ), an initiative that seeks to strengthen trade ties between Spain, Portugal, and West Africa . AFRICO, which includes the participation of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce ( FEWACCI ), brings together chambers of commerce from 20 African countries and will be headquartered at the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce.
José Luis Bonet , president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the strategic importance of relations with Africa, which still have significant room for growth. “Chambers of Commerce are called upon to lead relations with Africa, which are acquiring great strategic value and still have a long way to go,” Bonet stated. He also emphasized the key role of Africa and Latin America in strengthening the European Union 's position in the world, with Spain and Portugal serving as natural bridges.
For his part, Luis Padrón , president of the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that AFRICO aims to mobilize Spanish and Portuguese businesses toward the African continent, inspired by the success of the Ibero-American Association of Chambers (AICO) . “The opportunity cost of not being in Africa is too high, and our association will work to ensure that our companies not only have a presence, but also lead growth and development on the continent,” Padrón stated.
From FEWACCI, Secretary General Aminou Akadiri highlighted the ambition for progress and cooperation that AFRICO represents. “It will provide a platform for trade between West Africa and Europe , and for collaboration with Latin America,” Akadiri explained, adding that it will allow for maximizing the potential of African markets and the business opportunities they offer.
Nuno Pinto de Magalhães , Vice President of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the impact of the public-private collaboration that AFRICO represents, stating that this union will benefit both businesses and citizens.
The closing remarks were delivered by Julián Conthe , Director General of Trade Policy, who reiterated the State Secretariat for Trade's support for this initiative, in line with Spain's internationalization and sustainable development policy. "Africa is a priority region for Spain, and we recently launched the Africa Advances Alliance, which aims to create new opportunities for Spanish companies to invest in the African continent," Conthe stated, emphasizing AFRICO's importance in achieving these objectives.
AFRICO has defined several key areas of action, including promoting strong and sustainable trade relations, exchanging information and best practices, and identifying business and investment opportunities between the regions involved.
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