By Mérième Alaoui
MEET Africa (Mobilisation Européenne pour l’Entrepreneuriat en Afrique) is a forum for entrepreneurs of the African Diaspora living in Europe and willing to develop a business project in Africa. Whether they live in Europe or are newly settled in Africa, the support networks of the North (particularly France and Germany) and the South are mobilized to accompany and even finance the dynamics of wealth and job creation.
Co-financed to the tune of 8.5 million euros by the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD), the Forum between the two shores of the Mediterranean is organized by Expertise France in partnership with ANIMA Investment Network. But also by the service provider Classe Export with the support of Euro2c, co-founder of the African Diaspora Forum.
« Africa brings many solutions. A dynamic enterpreneurial scene »
Emmanuel Noutary, General Delegate of ANIMA, a network for economic cooperation between France, Africa and the Middle East, has seen a growing interest from the African diaspora. « Given the situation caused by the COVID pandemic, the challenges of climate change, the war in Ukraine … Investors and entrepreneurs are looking for alternative sources of diversification, such as raw materials. Africa offers many solutions. A dynamic entrepreneurial scene ».
Inside the Palais des Congrès, visitors (between 1,000 and 2,000 expected) will discover an exhibition area with 80 to 100 exhibitors from public and private African and European players, as well as country pavilions from Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon. A program of plenary conferences to learn about « Opportunities and growth sectors on the African continent » or « Tools and networks for development in Africa. » To be more specific, thematic workshops on « Legal advice and business rights » or to get « Keys to female entrepreneurship », but also networking sessions between entrepreneurs – investors, talents – recruiters. The uniqueness: a pitch competition around the « l’arbre à palabres » (palaver tree).
“Number of people born in Africa and living outside the continent has more than doubled in two decades”
The forum vows to respond to specific needs with concrete solutions. In its first phase, Meet Africa 1 supported 80 entrepreneurs from 6 African countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali), a third of whom were women, and the creation of 272 jobs.
The strength of the Diaspora as an economic vector in Africa is no longer in question. According to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the number of people born in Africa and living outside the continent has more than doubled in two decades. In 2010, there were 13.6 million of them, with 5.2 million of the most skilled Africans living in an OECD country.
With this record, the second edition aims to strengthen information and support. And for the most advanced projects: a seed fund has been allocated additional 2 million euros.
Find out more : https//forum.hub-meetafrika.co
