Canada–Africa Cooperation: Towards a New Era of Growth!

Strengthening economic relations between Canada and Africa continues to gain importance in investment strategies, international cooperation, and market diversification. It was within this context that the 8th Canada–Africa Trade and Investment Forum, organized by Force Leadership Africain, brought together government representatives, diplomats, entrepreneurs, investors, and members of the African diaspora.

The forum aimed to foster dialogue between the two continents on business opportunities, high-potential sectors, the role of the diaspora, and the conditions necessary to transform discussions into concrete partnerships.

According to Dr. Bouard, the initiator of the forum, the event is designed to address three fundamental objectives.

"I think there are three important things we want to accomplish. The first is the continuity of this essential dialogue between Canada and Africa. It is like two people who respect each other but do not really know one another. Every year, we want to provide new elements of understanding."

With this objective in mind, several African diplomatic missions took part in the discussions to present investment opportunities in their respective countries. Ambassadors from Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Nigeria, Libya, and Algeria shared their perspectives on economic relations with Canada.

The second issue highlighted by Dr. Bouard concerns preparing African entrepreneurs for the realities of the Canadian market.

"We must be honest and recognize that the Canadian perception of doing business with Africans is not the same as with Europeans. We want to identify what needs to be done so that African businesspeople are better equipped to meet Canadian expectations and successfully build Canada–Africa partnerships."

According to him, economic relations between the two continents have evolved significantly.

"Canada–Africa relations are no longer simply a romantic idea. They are about opportunity, but also about complementarity through what we now call co-partnership, co-development, and co-entrepreneurship."

Beyond the strategic discussions, several Canadian companies attended the forum to explore new business opportunities across Africa.

A representative of Groupe Linéaire explained that the company is already considering projects in Cameroon.

"We are here to explore what kinds of projects can be developed in Africa. We already have plans for Cameroon, and we have a system that supports territorial forest development that could be expanded to several municipalities across Africa. The goal is to help regions make better use of their forest resources—not only through logging, but also through the development of finished products."

The discussions also highlighted the continent's economic potential, particularly in the digital sector.

According to several estimates presented during the forum, Africa's digital economy could contribute more than $180 billion to the continent's gross domestic product by 2030. In addition, Africa's demographic advantage remains significant, as it is the world's youngest continent with a median age of approximately 19 years, a factor widely regarded as a major driver of future economic growth.

The event also provided participants with opportunities to expand their professional networks, exchange best practices, and establish new contacts that could lead to tangible collaborations.

The Government of Quebec was also represented at the forum by the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for relations with Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie.

In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of initiatives such as this forum.

"Allow me, on behalf of the Government of Quebec, to warmly thank the organizers of this forum, as well as all the speakers and participants. This type of forum is extremely important because it connects ideas, people, and projects."

Her participation reflected the growing interest of Quebec's institutions in strengthening economic ties with African countries through an approach based on cooperation, openness, and economic complementarity.

At the conclusion of this eighth edition, the organizers expressed their gratitude to the many delegations that had traveled from several African countries, including Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, and other partner nations.

Beyond the conferences and business meetings, the Canada–Africa Trade and Investment Forum reaffirmed the commitment of both public and private stakeholders to building lasting economic relationships between Canada and Africa. The discussions demonstrated that the future of these partnerships depends above all on greater mutual understanding, concrete projects, and a shared vision of economic development.

https://youtu.be/g7YMqR5Ja1M