From Our Special Correspondent in Algeria Meriem Khdimallah
In Algiers, the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, launched a vibrant appeal for a new African and global order, during the opening of the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair. Faced with the challenges of the continent, the Head of State insisted on justice, sovereignty, and the dignity of peoples, while highlighting Tunisia's participation in this major event.
The President's Speech
Under the chandeliers of the Abdelatif-Rahal International Conference Center in Algiers, President Kaïs Saïed spoke on Thursday, September 4, on the occasion of the opening of the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (Iatf). Before his African peers and in the presence of his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Head of State delivered a straightforward speech, preferring to talk about the future and sovereignty rather than figures and balances. His message: Africa will only emancipate itself by regaining control of its wealth and building a global project, thought out by and for its peoples.
A Plea for the Africa of Peoples
In his speech, Kaïs Saïed chose to abandon technical figures and balances to focus on a reading centered on the future. Inscribing himself in the African collective memory, he recalled the creation of the Organization of African Unity in the early 1960s, a dream of the pioneers of independence quickly undermined by divisions, wars, and the plundering of wealth.
However, he emphasized that this hope remains alive: "The dream of past generations continues to inhabit us today and will inhabit future generations. This dream will come true, as it is in the sense of history."
In the same vein, the President again assured that "Africa must belong to Africans," while denouncing the persistence of new forms of exploitation and trafficking that continue to destabilize the continent. For him, intra-African trade cannot be limited to formal exchanges. It also includes "informal and worrying trade," often fueled by poverty, insecurity, and despair.
A Global Project
While recognizing the importance of the sectors targeted by Iatf 2025 (agriculture, industry, energy, research, innovation, health, transport, and startups), President Kaïs Saïed insisted on a broader vision. "What we have before us is not just a sectoral project. It's a civilization project, a global project, based on new thinking and new concepts," he said, estimating that African cooperation must be rethought on equitable and independent bases.
Tunisia at the Forefront of the Iatf 2025
This political vision is accompanied by a remarkable Tunisian presence at the fair. On a 304 m² national pavilion, more than 24 exporting companies, including 12 SMEs, 8 artisans, and 4 startups, showcase their expertise. The diversity of represented sectors - textiles, clothing, leather and shoes, cosmetics, construction materials, crafts, automotive industry, and components - illustrates the vitality of the Tunisian economic fabric.
Institutional Presence
An institutional space also brings together the National Commission of the Zlecaf, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Export Promotion Center, the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, as well as the Tourism and Crafts Offices. These structures reflect Tunisia's willingness to position itself as an indispensable player in African exchanges.
Parallel Events
The Tunisian delegation will participate in several parallel events, including a workshop dedicated to the national automotive industry and the Tunisian strategy within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (Zlecaf).
Tebboune: Transforming Wealth into Development
In his opening speech, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune also made a lucid observation about African paradoxes. "Africa has nearly 30% of the world's natural resources but accounts for only 3% of global trade," he regretted, denouncing the imbalances inherited from colonialism and the effects of globalized capitalism.
The Algerian President alerted to the structural challenges that hinder the economic integration of the continent: deficits in transport infrastructure, energy interconnections, and communication networks. "These gaps constitute a silent pandemic," he warned.
To remedy this, Tebboune highlighted several structural projects: the trans-Saharan gas pipeline, trans-Saharan road and rail projects, and the creation of regional cooperation zones. "Together, we can build a solidary, prosperous Africa capable of imposing its place in the global economy," he concluded.
But beyond words, this meeting in Algiers illustrates the convergence of two visions: that of Saïed, centered on justice, sovereignty, and the dignity of peoples; and that of Tebboune, focused on the concrete transformation of African resources into development levers. Two approaches that meet on an essential point: the urgency of building an Africa capable of taking its destiny in hand, for its peoples and for the world.
