Guangdong Province will host the first-ever Africa-China Investment and Trade Conference (ACIC) from September 24 to 26, as African and Chinese leaders seek to deepen trade and investment relations.

The three-day event, organized by Treadway together with four Chinese agencies, will bring together government officials, investors, entrepreneurs and traders from both continents in a bid to unlock new economic opportunities.

According to the organizers, the conference is designed to strengthen business and cultural connections between Africa and China and create partnerships that can drive long-term economic growth.

The forum is expected to attract more than 100 African ministers, 50 executives from state-owned companies, Chinese government representatives, leading businesses, over 1,000 African traders and more than 2,000 Chinese exhibitors.

African delegates will pitch bankable projects to potential Chinese investors and lenders, while Chinese firms will display products and services suited for African markets and explore trade and distribution agreements with African businesses.

Treadway will facilitate investor engagement and coordinate the African delegation, while the partnering Chinese agencies will oversee visa processing for participants traveling from Africa.

Among the keynote speakers will be HRH Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe and South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), who are expected to emphasize the need for stronger Africa-China economic partnerships.

Activities lined up during the conference include exhibitions, investment presentations, networking sessions and structured business meetings aimed at connecting investors with viable projects.

The event will conclude with the unveiling of signed contracts and the total value of business deals reached during the conference.

Organizers say ACIC is intended to showcase the growing economic partnership between Africa and China and their potential role in shaping global capital markets.