CANEX @ IATF — Speaker & Strategic Diplomatic Mission

In 2025, I travelled to Algiers, Algeria to participate in the CANEX Programme at the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) — one of the continent’s most influential gatherings shaping the future of Africa’s creative economy. As a featured speaker, I contributed to high-level conversations on creative enterprise, Afrobeats, cultural influence, and the role of entertainment in continental trade.

CANEX and IATF brought together policymakers, cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, financiers, and innovators to explore how culture can drive economic transformation across the continent. Speaking on this platform offered an opportunity to share insights from two decades of building global African stages, while championing the power of culture as a diplomatic and economic force.

High-Level Strategic Meetings

Alongside the speaking engagement, the mission included a series of high-impact stakeholder meetings with:
• Government representatives
• Trade and investment officials
• Creative economy institutions
• Cultural leaders and private sector partners

These discussions explored collaboration in areas such as cultural exchange, creative entrepreneurship, festival tourism, and cross-border trade within Africa’s expanding entertainment industry.

Creative Economy & Diplomatic Impact

CANEX @ IATF reinforced the significance of Africa’s creative industries as a cornerstone of economic development. The mission highlighted the growing global demand for African culture — music, media, fashion, storytelling — and the need for integrated trade systems that support African creators both at home and abroad.

This visit strengthened continental ties, opened new pathways for collaboration, and positioned culture at the centre of Africa’s economic diplomacy.