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Algeria signs Hosting Agreement for Intra-African Trade Fair 2025

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IATF

The IATF is now a foremost event in the African calendar of economic, social, trade and even policy events

ALGIERS, Algeria, April 15, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The Host Agreement Signing Ceremony for the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) took place in Algiers on 15 April 2024. The Ceremony, which was hosted by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), in collaboration with the African Union and the AfCFTA Secretariat, and the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, paves the way for the fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair to take place from 4 – 10 September 2025 in Algiers, Algeria.

H.E. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairperson of the IATF2025 Advisory Council and Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, extolled the Intra-African Trade Fair as the go-to trade and investment event on the African continent. He added that “the IATF2025 Hosting Agreement represents more than just a contractual agreement; rather it symbolises a collective responsibility of the partners for excellence and innovation in continuing the tradition of the Intra-African Trade Fair, which has become established as the AfCFTA Marketplace and the go-to trade and investment event on the African continent. The IATF is now a foremost event in the African calendar of economic, social, trade and even policy events. It is in the passionate pursuit of these goals that Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union Commission and AfCFTA Secretariat are championing the noble cause of changing the socioeconomic landscape of Africa by devising progressive initiatives aimed at promoting intra-African trade and continental integration.”

Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank, Afreximbank, said: “The Intra-African Trade Fair opens alternate routes for African trade. It has become the platform for actualising the AfCFTA vision. It expands and deepens knowledge of the continent’s trading environment and enhances the industrial capacity of African economies. Ultimately, IATF has become the engine accelerating trade and business flows within the continent. The last three fairs have generated combined trade and investment deals of no less than US$120 billion. To one who wonders what the US$120 billion represents, African businesses have found buyers in new markets across Africa, industries have found new sources of raw materials, investment and capital goods, government-to-government deals in critical sectors such as agriculture and agro-processing have been forged, and African contractors have won major government projects.” She also expressed her gratitude to the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for their unwavering commitment and support for the Intra-African Trade Fair.

A statement delivered on behalf of H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General, AfCFTA Secretariat described the importance of the Intra-African Trade Fair as “our strategic response to the challenge of trade information scarcity, aiming to enhance intra-African trade and investments, all without the need for outside help. And it serves as a symbol of hope and opportunity, breaking down conventional trade and investment barriers to unite the diverse yet cohesive African identity.“

A statement delivered on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Albert Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, highlighted that other regions of the world have proved that “trade can be a powerful tool for economic growth. Whilst trade was able to lift millions out of poverty in those regions, the same has not reflected in Africa’s experience. Trade amongst African countries is low. The AfCFTA was designed to change this story. Not only was it meant to boost Intra African trade, but it was meant to deal with Africa’s perennial challenges of job creation, high levels of poverty and very low levels of manufacturing and industrial base. It was designed to create a predictable legal framework for trade and investment, hence offering more guarantees to investors thereby bringing certainty and predictability to the African trading environment.”

It is through our combined efforts that we can drive positive change, foster innovation, and create a better future for all the inhabitants of the African continent

In his Closing Remarks, Jean-Louis Ekra, Former President of Afreximbank and Deputy Chairperson of the IATF2025 Advisory Council, praised “the power of African unity, shared purpose, and collective action towards a path taken to promote intra-African trade and investment. It is through our combined efforts that we can drive positive change, foster innovation, and create a better future for all the inhabitants of the African continent.”

The Ceremony was also attended by public and private sector institutions, African diplomatic corps, financial institutions, and trade and industry associations, and is intended to maximise awareness surrounding the upcoming IATF2025.

Attendees at the Signing Ceremony also had the opportunity to visit the Algerian Company of Fairs and Exports (SAFEX), which will be the venue for IATF2025.

The Intra-African Trade Fair is the African continent’s premier trade and investment event and provides a unique opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their goods and services, engage in Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Government (B2G) exchanges, network, establish new business contacts and conclude business deals. The event also gives delegates the opportunity to hear actionable insights from an array of experts on a wide range of trade and investment topics and opportunities at the IATF Trade and Investment Forum. The event also offers opportunities for participants from the Diaspora, creative industries including gastronomy and the culinary arts, to attend and showcase their goods, services and expertise. In addition, there will be training workshops covering exporting, standards and marketing.

Attendees at the IATF include businesses, buyers, sellers, traders and investors, captains of industry, senior government ministers, trade finance and advisory specialists, trade and economic organisations, senior executives from corporates and multinationals, innovative entrepreneurs and the media in one venue.  

The highly successful third edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2023) took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 9 – 15 November 2023, and attracted over 28,000 conference delegates, trade visitors and media, had 1,939 exhibitors from 130 countries, and witnessed US$43.8 billion of trade and investment deals being concluded.

For more information about IATF2025 please visit www.IntrAfricanTradeFair.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Energy

Building a Knowledge Hub for China-ASEAN Energy Cooperation

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September 22, 2026

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NANNING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – During the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid showcased a range of innovations designed to support energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. These included the DaWatt – Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity, highlighting expanding opportunities for cooperation in digitalization, intelligent technologies and green energy.

The Lao-language LLM has been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images within a short period of time. After its algorithms were optimized for Laos’ mountainous and rainforest terrain, the model completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects.

 




 
 

Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., said the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Drawing on the capabilities of the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications.

Talent development is another focus of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is exploring an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled.

Cooperation is also evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation. Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and the Royal Academy of Cambodia have jointly established a laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment, while the company has also launched peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.

To address language barriers in cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese.

At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system supported one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology.

To support regular international exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical and skilled personnel. It has developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses.

“This year, we will also explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries,” said Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd.

Looking ahead, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. plans to further advance a development model featuring “R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN.” The company will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a “Token Goes Global” model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. The effort is aimed at creating new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and supporting the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
 




 

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Events

24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival to Showcase Asia’s Spectacular Autumn Colors

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September 22, 2026

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BAZHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 September 2026 – The 24th Sichuan Guangwu Mountain International Red Leaf Festival will run from October 1 to November 18 at the Guangwu Mountain Tourism Area in Bazhong, Sichuan Province, China.

Located in southwest China, Guangwu Mountain boasts a forest coverage rate of 97%, earning its reputation as a “natural oxygen bar.” Each autumn, 680 square kilometers of mountain forests burst into a dazzling palette. Over 40 tree species, including Fagus pashanica, maples and lindens, weave the mountains into a stunning autumn landscape.

Known as “Asia’s longest natural red carpet,” the Mountain has become a top autumn destination for backpackers, photographers and travelers seeking immersive cultural and nature experiences, and is widely recognized as one of western China’s signature autumn attractions.

 




 
 

The tourism area caters to international visitors who prefer slower-paced, in-depth, off-the-beaten-path travel. The new Yanziling Loop Boardwalk, launched in May 2026, winds along mountain cliffs, with a sea of clouds rolling beneath visitors’ feet and brilliant foliage unfolding alongside the trail, creating the feeling of “stepping into a painting.”

Guangwu Mountain offers a wealth of outdoor attractions. Highlights include the 1,888-meter Red Leaf Coaster and a glass water slide certified by Guinness World Record, combining thrilling experiences with stunning natural scenery.

The large-scale immersive production “New Dream of Guangwu Mountain” integrates cutting-edge light and visual technology with Bashan folklore and traditions, transforming the forest into an atmospheric nighttime experience. Visitors can also enjoy welcome performances and interactive robot activities, which offer more ways to discover the mountain’s late-autumn charm.

A major highlight of this year’s festival is the newly completed Micang Avenue. Stretching 85 kilometers, the route connects seven core scenic spots, including Guangwu Mountain, Micang Mountain, and Nuoshui River, reducing a four-hour drive to just one hour. Lined with continuous stretches of colorful forest and layered peaks, the avenue brings brand-new travel experiences for autumn foliage enthusiasts.

The festival will also feature cultural, sports and international exchange activities, including the third season of the “Sending You a Red Leaf” campaign, the China Micang Avenue International Road Cycling Race, and the “World Red Leaf Landmark” global collection campaign.

In addition, 31 scenic attractions and 18 museums and cultural venues across Bazhong will provide special ticket offers and visitor benefits during the festival.

Across mountains and seas, Guangwu Mountain invites visitors from around the world to witness one of China’s most vibrant red-and-gold autumn displays.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
 
 




 

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Business

DHL Invests in Greater Middle East-Africa Connectivity with New Aviation Lane

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September 22, 2026

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The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ —
  • New weekly B767/F Bahrain-Johannesburg service strengthens Sub-Saharan Africa connectivity and supports growing trade flows between Africa, the Gulf and global markets

DHL Express (www.DHL.com) has marked an important milestone in its regional aviation network with the successful operation of the first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa.

The inaugural flight arrived at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, opening a new weekly aviation lane operated by a DHL Express B767/F freighter. The route reinforces DHL’s continued investment in strengthening Sub-Saharan Africa network connectivity, expanding heavier-weight capability, improving flexibility and supporting growing trade flows between the Middle East and Africa.

 




  

As trade between Africa and the Middle East develops, businesses need resilient, well-connected logistics networks. The new service provides greater inbound and outbound capacity for South Africa and neighbouring countries through the DHL Johannesburg Hub, one of the company’s key gateways on the continent.

 

The investment also reflects shifting global supply chains, as companies diversify sourcing, manufacturing and customer markets beyond traditional corridors. Bahrain’s position as a gateway between Africa, the Gulf and Asia make it an important link for businesses seeking faster access to international markets.

 

Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind

“Every new connection we introduce is designed with our customers in mind. As global trade routes diversify and economic ties between Africa and the Middle East continue to strengthen, we are seeing powerful geographical tailwinds creating new opportunities for businesses. Demand is growing across sectors such as healthcare, technology, manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce, all of which rely on fast, reliable international logistics,” said Anthony Beckley, Vice President of Operations and Aviation for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

“While this first direct DHL flight between Bahrain and South Africa is a significant network milestone, its real value lies in the opportunities it creates for customers.”

 

 

South Africa is one of DHL’s Geographic Tailwinds markets, reflecting its growing role in global trade flows and its potential to drive future trade growth. And Johannesburg remains a critical gateway in DHL’s SSA network, linking South Africa and neighbouring markets to global opportunities through Bahrain and the wider DHL aviation network. Through continued investment in routes, aircraft capacity and hub connectivity, DHL is supporting customers across this dynamic lane.

 

“DHL Express is the only logistics provider operating a dedicated intra-regional air fleet across the Middle East, connecting customers through Bahrain with major global gateways including Hong Kong, Leipzig and Cincinnati,” said Richard Gale, Vice President of Aviation, DHL Express MENA.

 

“Bahrain’s position at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East makes it an ideal hub for customers seeking faster, more reliable access across these growing trade corridors. We are pleased to add this direct Johannesburg connection as economic ties between Africa and the Gulf deepen.”

 

DHL remains committed to helping customers seize opportunities created by changing trade patterns and expanding economic relationships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL Express.

 

 




 

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