New York — The World Trade Centers Association® (WTCA®), an international trade organization that connects more than 300 World Trade Center® (WTC®) locations in nearly 100 countries, and World Trade Center Accra will host the 53rd annual WTCA General Assembly (GA) in Accra, Ghana, from April 23‑28. This will be the WTCA’s first in‑person GA since 2019 and the first ever held in Sub‑Saharan Africa.
The WTCA GA is the association’s premier annual event, bringing together WTCA members and their global business networks—including leaders from business, government, academia, media and international organizations—to reflect the WTCA’s diverse global footprint. This year’s program will feature engaging roundtables and conversations, keynote remarks from H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, and special remarks from H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary‑General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat, on Monday, April 24. The full agenda is available here.
“The macro trends in four key sectors—automotive; agriculture and agro‑processing; pharmaceuticals; and transport and logistics—along with Africa’s overall growth potential reveal tremendous opportunities for business expansion as population, income and connectivity rise. The AfCFTA will unlock these opportunities, but not without disruption and change in business and production dynamics, especially due to increased intra‑African trade,” said H.E. Wamkele Mene in the January 2023 World Economic Forum Insight Report *AfCFTA: A New Era for Global Business and Investment in Africa*. “The benefits to African countries and to business success under the free‑trade area arise from the private sector understanding, recognizing and acting on the initiative’s value.”
“This GA and the networking opportunities it creates will highlight the unique trade and investment potential presented by Africa as the world’s next economic frontier, especially in light of the new AfCFTA,” said Edem Kofi Yevutsey, Executive Director of WTC Accra. “We have been working closely with the WTCA team in New York to bring the global WTCA network to Africa. We look forward to welcoming delegates worldwide to our vibrant country to take advantage of growth opportunities across the continent.”
With the theme “Towards African Economic Integration and Enhanced Global Presence,” the 2023 GA demonstrates the strength of the WTCA network and focuses on business connections on the African continent. It will bring together buyers, sellers and investors in sectors such as agriculture; agro‑tech, food processing; manufacturing; mining; power and energy; and water, among others. The African continent represents a GDP of USD $12.7 trillion, and its 1.4 billion people constitute the fastest‑growing population on the planet. Africa is also among the youngest regions, with a median age of 15.7 years, and its youthful population is poised to make a significant economic and geopolitical impact.
“Africa has long been viewed as a strategic economic market for growth for countries around the world, and was therefore a key focus for the WTCA and its members. The time is right for this year’s GA to be held in Africa and to be our first in‑person GA since the COVID‑19 pandemic,” said John E. Drew, Chair of the WTCA Board of Directors. “In my 30 + years of experience organizing trade delegations with the WTCA, I trust that this year’s GA will be a great success, bringing opportunities to Africa and strengthening the WTCA’s overall mission. The WTCA GA is about establishing critical infrastructure to promote global trade—creating connections and maximizing business growth and economies. For this reason, the event is open to both WTC members and non‑members. Attendees will network with professionals from around the world, exchange ideas and explore potential business opportunities during the event’s networking sessions.”
For more information about the 2023 WTCA General Assembly, please visit https://wtca.swoogo.com/2023wtcaga/2289118 and follow the conversation on social media using #WTCAGeneralAssembly and #GA2023.
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