Brazzaville Positions Itself as a Regional Hub
On November 3rd, the marble halls of the Brazzaville International Conference Center filled with government members, bankers, and entrepreneurs for the opening of the first Central African Economic Forum on Growth and Investment (FECIAC), organized under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African States.
This three-day forum, organized by the High Council for Central African Business in partnership with ECCAS, has the stated ambition of highlighting bankable projects and paving the way for a truly integrated regional market, at a time when the African Continental Free Trade Area is redefining trade corridors.
Government Promises a Business-Friendly Environment
Representing the Prime Minister, the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Integration told delegates that Brazzaville wants “a business climate worthy of the potential of our land and our minds,” citing agriculture, energy, transport, and digital technologies as priorities where coordinated investment could increase shared prosperity.
His remarks were echoed by the Secretary-General of ECCAS, who argued that Central African states must move “from declarations to concrete pipelines,” noting that only four percent of intra-African trade currently comes from the sub-region despite a combined GDP of about $180 billion.
Infrastructure Financing Tops the Agenda
The theme chosen for this first edition – accelerating investments to finance infrastructure and build regional value chains – reflects persistent concerns that inadequate roads, ports, and energy networks keep landlocked areas of Cameroon, Chad, or the Central African Republic disconnected from coastal export hubs like Pointe-Noire and Douala.
The African Development Bank estimates the region’s annual infrastructure deficit at nearly $10 billion; forum organizers see this gap as an investment opportunity. “Project preparation is the Achilles’ heel,” observed a country economist from the AfDB, urging governments to bundle smaller projects into larger, financeable packages.
Private Sector Eyes Regional Markets
A Congolese entrepreneur and vice-president of the FEC believes trade between ECCAS members can rise from eight to ten percent of their trade within three years if customs barriers fall. He mentions the copper processing plant his group plans near Dolisie, intended to supply Gabonese cable manufacturers.
International groups have also signaled interest. The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa brought a team specialized in blended finance, while France’s Proparco and Japan’s JBIC scheduled bilateral meetings with startups targeting renewable mini-grids, according to the organizers’ provisional agenda.
BEAC Advocates for Import Substitution
Concrete figures from the region’s central bank framed the debate. The Governor of BEAC reminded participants that Central African states spend about 12 trillion CFA francs, nearly $20 billion, annually on imports that could often be sourced locally, from processed foods to cement.
“Waiting is no longer an option; coordination is,” the Governor said, urging governments to open borders and harmonize standards. He cited BEAC’s recent relaxation of exchange rules as a signal that monetary authorities are ready to support investors wanting to manufacture in the region.
AfCFTA Offers a New Lever
Several speakers argued that the African Continental Free Trade Area, which entered its guided trade phase last year, is changing the cost-benefit calculation. By aligning regulations with the AfCFTA, ECCAS can present itself as a market of 200 million consumers, attracting supply chains that currently stop in Kenya, Nigeria, or South Africa.
The Cameroonian Minister of Mines stressed that such alignment must come with local content rules. “If cobalt leaves Ndola for Europe without added value, we are missing the point,” he stated, mentioning regional battery-grade refining initiatives under discussion with Congolese counterparts.
Recognition for Integration Champions
The opening ceremony concluded with awards for companies considered champions of regional integration. Telecommunications operator Airtel Congo received a trophy for expanding cross-border mobile money transfers, while Gabonese railway operator Setrag was honored for introducing a common wagon standard facilitating the movement of goods between Libreville, Owendo, and northern Congo.
Momentum Towards Concrete Projects
Speaking to journalists afterward, the Minister said the forum’s outcomes would feed into the national development plan being drafted by President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s administration for 2025-2029. He emphasized that projects identified at FECIAC could benefit from sovereign guarantees under consideration at the Ministry of Finance.
Organizers announced that a follow-up committee would publish a first progress report in March, tracking commitments signed in Brazzaville. A second edition of the forum is tentatively planned for Libreville in 2025, giving governments eighteen months to turn memorandums into construction sites.
Stakeholders Hope for Lasting Impact
Whether deals materialize or not, the gathering sent a political signal that Central Africa intends to seize the moment of continental trade. “Integrating our markets is no longer a slogan, it is our survival plan,” concluded the Minister, receiving applause that echoed long after the lights went out.