The Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI), Abdourahmane Diouf, has announced the creation of the African Trade and Investment Laboratory. This announcement was made on the sidelines of the opening of the African Forum on Commerce and Investment (FACI 2025), organised by the Université numérique Cheikh Hamidou Kane (UN-CHK). This laboratory aims to strengthen the capacities of African countries in international trade and investment, thus enabling them to defend their interests better on the world stage. Placed under the theme “International trade and investment in Africa: crises, perspectives and solutions”, the 2025 edition of the FACI brought together a large panel of experts, academics and professionals in the sector. The aim of the Forum is to analyse the current economic dynamics, identify major challenges and explore new strategies to optimise international trade negotiations. The discussions focused on the need to adopt innovative solutions to strengthen the integration of African economies into international markets, while promoting more equitable and sustainable trade.Presided by Mr Serigne Guèye Diop, Minister of Commerce and Industry, the opening ceremony reaffirmed the commitment of the Senegalese Government to support initiatives aimed at improving the competitiveness of African economies.Predicted as a major breakthrough, the Laboratoire Africain du Commerce et de l’Investissement aims to be a centre of expertise dedicated to international trade negotiations. It will have the task of assisting African negotiators by providing them with an in-depth analysis of trade agreements and their implications for the countries of the continent. He stressed the importance for African countries of having their own structures of reflection and analysis in order to defend their interests better against the great economic powers. It is also important to have a clear understanding of the role of the European Union in the world economy.
Africa is armed for the future: an unprecedented laboratory for revolutionising trade and investment
