The Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), participated in the third edition of the AfCFTA Business Forum, Biashara Afrika 2026, held in Lomé, Togo, from 18 to 20 May 2026.

Biashara Afrika remains one of the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) key implementation platforms, bringing together governments, private sector actors, development partners, and investment promotion agencies to accelerate Africa’s economic integration and unlock cross-border trade and investment opportunities.

Held under the theme “Driving Africa’s Economic Transformation through the AfCFTA,” the 2026 edition focused on strengthening investor confidence, advancing industrialisation, and accelerating the development of regional value chains. The Forum also emphasized the importance of enabling high-potential African enterprises, addressing infrastructure gaps, and promoting digital trade as a driver of continental competitiveness.

The Forum was officially opened by His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Republic, who highlighted that the AfCFTA has entered a decisive phase of implementation where practical economic integration is now essential for Africa’s growth. He underscored the importance of collaboration among African economies, noting that resilience and shared prosperity depend on coordinated action rather than isolated national efforts.

MITC’s participation provided a strategic platform to position Malawi within the evolving AfCFTA landscape and engage with continental stakeholders on opportunities for trade expansion and investment facilitation. The engagement reinforced Malawi’s commitment to leveraging regional integration frameworks to unlock new markets, strengthen value chains, and attract investment into priority sectors.

Key discussions during the Forum aligned with Malawi’s economic transformation agenda, particularly in areas such as agro-processing, manufacturing, logistics, and export development. These sectors present significant opportunities for participation in regional value chains and for increasing Malawi’s competitiveness within the African market.

Through its participation, MITC continues to strengthen Malawi’s visibility as an active and engaged partner in Africa’s economic integration agenda, while advancing its mandate to facilitate investment, promote exports, and connect Malawian enterprises to emerging continental opportunities.

MITC remains committed to ensuring that Malawi fully benefits from the AfCFTA by translating regional engagements into tangible trade and investment outcomes that support sustainable economic growth and private sector development.