Abidjan — The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d’Ivoire (CCI-CI) inaugurated today, Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the first edition of the Brands Licensing Africa (BLA) trade show at the Abidjan Exhibition Center. This historic event for the African continent is organized in collaboration with Maison de l’Afrique and Licensing International.

The official opening took place in the presence of prominent personalities, including Dr. Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Mr. Blé Guirao, representative of the President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council.

This two-day trade show coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of Maison de l’Afrique, an organization bringing together 11 Chambers of Commerce and chaired by Mr. Touré Faman, also President of the CCI-CI. On this occasion, Mr. Touré Faman stressed the importance of this initiative, which is part of the structural transformation policy of the Ivorian economy, led by Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé.

A highlight of the event was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the CCI-CI and the Ivorian Intellectual Property Office (OIPI). This agreement aims to support Ivorian businesses, particularly SMEs/SMIs, VSEs and startups, in securing and promoting their brands.

The opening day was marked by a conference on the theme “Brand Licensing, an Opportunity for Africa,” followed by training workshops and thematic conferences on corporate branding. Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, shared insights into and research on the global brand licensing industry as part of the conference. Participants can also discover exhibition-sales and promotions of various products throughout the trade show.

This major initiative reflects Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to developing the “Made in Côte d’Ivoire” brand and labeling its products, in line with the government’s policy of supporting the private sector.