Embassies Business Fair And Conference 2025 Builds On Success To Promote Africa’s Global Economic Ties

Taking place from 8 to 9 September 2025 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, this high-level gathering follows its successful debut in 2024, which was strategically aligned with Africa’s first-ever G20 Summit.

Sihle Dube, event organiser, underscores the urgency of the moment: "The Embassies Business Fair & Conference is more than an event, it’s a catalyst for rewriting Africa’s economic narrative. By turning diplomatic missions into active trade bridges, we’re unlocking tangible opportunities for local businesses to compete globally."

This year’s edition will unfold under the theme Direct business exchange amongst embassies: Meet suppliers, manufacturers and distributors – shaping the future global economic impact. The event positions embassies not merely as diplomatic institutions but as dynamic gateways to investment, innovation, and international trade. With over 40 embassies, 50+ local and international buyers, and $20m in projected funding anticipated, the fair promises to be Africa’s leading platform for economic diplomacy.

"Our 2025 target is to move beyond dialogue and into deals. With AfCFTA as our backbone, we’re designing sessions where contracts are signed, partnerships are sealed, and SMEs gain direct access to markets that were once out of reach." Dube adds.

The conference will feature focused discussions and deal-making opportunities across priority sectors, including agriculture, tourism and hospitality, education, creative industries, manufacturing and industrialisation, ICT and innovation, healthcare, automotive, and SMMEs/MSMEs. Participants can expect an immersive experience of high-level talks, investment pitches, sector-specific workshops, and B2B and B2G matchmaking sessions designed to foster direct engagement and sustainable partnerships.

More than a networking space, the fair serves as a deal-exchange arena where over 25 cross-border projects will be pitched, and 20+ women- and youth-led cooperatives will be spotlighted for funding and scaling opportunities. As a unique platform enabling business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G), embassy-to-embassy (E2E), and embassy-to-government (E2G) connections, the event is strategically designed to fast-track economic collaboration across borders.

Importantly, the fair contributes meaningfully to advancing the G20’s vision of inclusive global growth by creating access to market linkages, highlighting fair trade practices, and enhancing opportunities for African businesses to tap into international supply chains. Delegates will also explore resolutions to global trade challenges, the evolving role of embassies in economic development, and strategies for inclusive industrialisation.

With a specific focus on building transactional bridges, the platform is expected to unlock entry into 15+ international markets, promote the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals, and create real pathways for import-export growth. It is also a significant opportunity for investors, trade envoys, SMEs, policymakers, and diplomats to connect, collaborate and capitalise on a world of shared business possibilities.