MALABO.- Following the recent meeting with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua on September 11, the National Consortium of Companies called for an urgent gathering at the Colinas Hotel in Malabo. Nearly a hundred representatives from the national business sector attended the meeting, which aimed to communicate key points from the discussions with the Prime Minister and organize preparations for the CEEAC (Economic Community of Central African States) Business Fair, scheduled to take place from October 11 to 19, 2024, in Sipopo.
The meeting was chaired by the President of the Consortium, Benjamín Evita Oma, and Vice President Fernando Hermes Vegas Moiche, along with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce. During the session, they announced a significant event stemming from the discussions with the Prime Minister: an upcoming open dialogue between the Government and the private sector. This dialogue, to be led by H.E. Gaudencio Moaba Mesu, First Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Ministry of Commerce, Enterprise Promotion, and Industry, will provide an essential platform for the business sector to present its needs and proposals to the government, aiming to strengthen private enterprises under the government’s guidelines.
Vice President Vegas Moiche proposed the formation of technical committees to draft a unified document that would reflect the collective views and interests of the business community in preparation for the dialogue.
The second part of the meeting focused on the upcoming CEEAC Business Fair, underscoring the vast opportunities it offers for networking and collaboration. The event will feature not only a forum for heads of state, first ladies, and key players from the private sector but also serve as a critical platform for fostering regional economic integration. Participants will have the chance to engage in commercial exchanges, attend sector-specific presentations, and participate in high-level B2B meetings aimed at exploring new markets and forging strategic partnerships. With over a thousand participants anticipated, the fair will bring together representatives from the six CEEAC member states, as well as business delegations from five invited nations: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, São Tomé, Uganda, and Angola. This cross-border engagement is expected to accelerate the development of joint ventures and contribute to the overall economic growth of the subregion, paving the way for increased intra-African trade and investment.
The meeting concluded with contributions from several attendees, who commended the Consortium’s initiatives and offered suggestions to ensure the success of both the dialogue with the Government and the business community’s representation at the upcoming fair.