The AICS Maputo office, in close coordination with the AICS Directorate-General, the AICS Deputy Technical Directorate, and AICS Office VII, participated in the 11th Edition of the CEO Dialogue on Southern Africa organized by The European House Ambrosetti (TEHA), which took place on November 14-15, 2024, in Johannesburg. Launched in 2014, this forum serves as a key platform in Southern Africa for business and institutional leaders to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and explore collaboration opportunities in Europe-Africa relations, with a specific focus on the SADC region. Its objective is to foster strategic business opportunities and strengthen commercial and political ties between the two continents.
In this context, the AICS Maputo office, in collaboration with the Italian Embassies in Maputo and Lusaka, ICE (Italian Trade Agency), and other partners such as UNIDO and the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), supported the participation of five companies[1] from Mozambique (particularly from the Manica Province) and two companies from Zambia[2] at the Forum. These companies operate in sectors such as dried pineapple production, goat farming, agricultural inputs supply, and fruit trading. Thanks to the Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings organized during the Forum, these companies had the opportunity to explore new collaborations with CEOs and executives from public and private entities across the region.
One of the central themes of the Forum was the potential of agro-industry in the region. In this regard, Paolo Enrico Sertoli, Head of the AICS Maputo office, participated in a panel on “Unlocking Agroindustry Potential: Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for Business and Communities.” During his intervention, he highlighted the crucial role of AICS in supporting agribusiness in the SADC region by financing sustainable agricultural value chains and promoting public-private partnerships.
As an example, he mentioned the project of the Manica Agro-Food Center (CAAM), one of the nine pilot initiatives included under the Mattei Plan for Africa, launched in January 2024 by the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The goal is to establish an agro-processing center in Manica Province (Mozambique) to support agricultural SMEs by enhancing production, processing, and market access. As Sertoli emphasized: “Thanks to its strategic location along the Beira Corridor, it will have a catalytic impact not only on Mozambique but also on neighboring countries, fostering regional trade and the development of the agri-food sector.”
The project is complemented by other initiatives also funded by the Italian Development Cooperation and AICS in the region (including PRODAI and ZIM-MOZA), aimed at promoting agro-trade and reducing barriers to facilitate regional commerce.
The Forum was attended by prominent figures, including Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of the Italian Republic; Mthuli Ncube, Minister of Finance of Zimbabwe; Pietro Mininni, CEO of The European House – Ambrosetti Africa; Alberto Vecchi, Italian Ambassador to South Africa; Lorenzo Galanti, Director-General of ICE; Riccardo Zani, Executive Director of INALCA; Raffaele Cattaneo, Undersecretary for International and European Relations of the Lombardy Region; and Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. The Ambassadors of Angola and Mozambique, along with former ministers from various countries, also participated.
The participation of the AICS Maputo office in the CEO Dialogue on Southern Africa marks a decisive step in promoting sustainable development and socio-economic inclusion in the SADC region. Starting in 2024, the Maputo office has expanded its scope, adding Angola and Zambia to the three countries already covered (Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe), thereby reaching a total of five SADC countries with a combined population of 148 million. The collaborations initiated demonstrate AICS’s strong commitment to strengthening the agro-industrial sector to tackle common challenges, such as the effects of El Niño and food crises, by focusing on public-private partnerships to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
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[1] The five companies from Mozambique that participated in the Forum were: Agromaco, Luteari – Insumos e Serviços Agrícolas, Novo Mundo Comércio e Serviços, Agropecuária Frutas de Révuè, and Cooperativa Frutas de Báruè.
[2] The two companies from Zambia that participated in the Forum were: Zamgoat Products e Northwest Crown Fruits.