The president of GOHA International, Chérif Mohamed Abdallah Haïdara, participated in the inaugural Alamein-Africa Forum held in Alamein, Egypt, on October 2-3, 2026. This significant gathering brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, financial institutions, and major African development stakeholders. The forum aimed to convert economic priorities into concrete investments, partnerships, and projects. As the president of GOHA International, Haïdara's participation was at the invitation of Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed Abubakr, the country's vice-minister of foreign affairs for international cooperation and expatriates.
The Alamein-Africa Forum serves as a new platform for dialogue and action in support of African economic integration. It seeks to bridge the gap between political decisions, financial capacities, and business opportunities. The discussions focused on key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, finance, intra-African trade, mineral resources, digital transformation, and healthcare markets. The forum also featured an exhibition of major projects, project presentations, and negotiation spaces to facilitate direct discussions between project proponents, investors, businesses, and financial institutions.
The primary objective of the forum was to transition from commitments and continental priorities to actionable transactions, investments, and projects. It aimed to strengthen the role of the private sector in African economic integration by fostering direct connections between companies, markets, investors, and financial institutions. This would lead to the emergence of cross-border partnerships and new investment opportunities. The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, emphasized the forum's role in bringing together the private sector, financial institutions, and various productive and service sectors.
GOHA International, an organization dedicated to defending and promoting the interests of Africa's private sector and economic operators, saw this forum as an opportunity to engage in discussions on the necessary conditions for developing intra-African trade and investments. The organization hopes to contribute to reflections and initiatives on trade, investment, infrastructure, and private sector development in Africa. By participating in the forum, Haïdara was able to voice the concerns and ambitions of African economic operators in discussions on the future of trade, investment, and economic integration.
The Alamein-Africa Forum was co-organized by the Egyptian government, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union Commission, and the AUDA-NEPAD. The event took place alongside other high-level African gatherings in Egypt from October 2-4, 2026, including the AUDA-NEPAD Founding States Summit and the Union's mid-year coordination meeting. The forum brought together heads of state and government, ministers, high-ranking officials from continental institutions, and leaders of major African and international financial institutions.
The participation of Chérif Mohamed Abdallah Haïdara in the inaugural Alamein-Africa Forum positioned GOHA International among key African economic development stakeholders. The forum is expected to become a biennial event in Egypt, aiming to bring together public decision-makers, the business world, and financial institutions around structuring projects for Africa. The ultimate goal is to move beyond declarations and commitments to financed projects, operational partnerships, and concrete transactions.
The outcomes of the forum are expected to include aligning political and investment priorities, mobilizing partnerships for implementation, strengthening financing mechanisms, stimulating intra-African trade, and integrating new sectors of the African economy. By achieving these objectives, the Alamein-Africa Forum can make a significant contribution to Africa's economic integration and development.
Key points
- The Alamein-Africa Forum aims to bridge the gap between political decisions and business opportunities to drive African economic integration.
- GOHA International's participation in the forum highlights its commitment to promoting the interests of Africa's private sector and economic operators.
- The forum's focus on concrete projects and partnerships is expected to lead to tangible outcomes in African economic development.
