Afreximbank and Arise IIP commence the construction of the African Quality Assurance Center in Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) Benin to boost Intra-African trade: A landmark collaboration between Afreximbank and ARISE IIP
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platform (ARISE IIP) are proud to announce that the construction of the African Quality Assurance Center (AQAC) located in the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) in Benin has started on Tuesday the 27thth November 2024. This landmark project is African Export-Import Bank and Rise of international IP This is an important step in promoting the industrialization of Benin and West Africa as a whole.
The Guangzhou High-tech Zone AQAC laboratory will provide world-class food and agricultural product testing, inspection and certification services to ensure product “Made in Africa” Meet the safety and quality standards required by local and international markets.
Driven by the Afreximbank vision, AQAC aims to improve the compliance of African products with international standards, promote exports and support intra-African trade, while ensuring the safety of these products for local consumption. ARISE IIP, an affiliate of the bank and a leader in pan-African industrial development, recognizes the value AQAC brings to the ecosystems it develops, such as the GDIZ, which focuses on value addition and global competitiveness.
By establishing laboratories within the GDIZ, many benefits will be realized, including increasing the competitiveness of local products produced in the zone, such as cotton, cashew nuts, animal feed, soybeans, dehydrated pineapples and sesame oil, by ensuring that they comply with international standards. standards and requirements of export markets; promote exports by enabling African products to compete effectively in global markets; strengthen local industrial capabilities through state-of-the-art quality infrastructure and technical expertise; promote Benin by positioning it as an industrial and commercial hub in West Africa Regional impact.
Létondji BEHETON, Managing Director GDIZcommented: “The establishment of the AQAC laboratory within the GDIZ is a game changer for Benin’s industrial ecosystem. It will not only improve the quality of locally processed products but also ensure compliance with international standards, opening new doors for our exporters. This initiative Strengthening the GDIZ’s role as a catalyst for economic transformation, creating jobs, attracting investment and positioning Benin as a regional leader in value-added production and trade.”
Gagan Gupta, CEO of ARISE IIP said: “This project underlines our commitment to work with Afreximbank to enhance quality control capabilities for African products. The AQAC laboratory is a cornerstone of our vision to industrialize Africa and integrate it into global value chains. By ensuring that African products meet the highest international standards, the AQAC Laboratory Initiatives empower local industry, enhance export potential and enhance intra-African trade. As one of our flagship zones, the GDIZ project confirms our commitment to building a self-reliant, globally competitive Africa.”
Oluranti Doherty, Managing Director of Export Development at Afreximbank added: “Our AQAC program reflects Afreximbank’s unwavering commitment to supporting African manufacturers and enabling their products to thrive in global markets. By providing reliable quality assurance services, AQAC increases the competitiveness of African products and improves to promote intra-African trade and ensure seamless integration of these products into international markets, thereby driving the continent’s industrialization and economic diversification.”
Afreximbank established the first African Quality Assurance Center (AQAC) project in Ogun State, Nigeria, which received ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certification from the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) in August 2024. SANAS is one of the main certification bodies responsible for conducting conformity assessment in Africa. Afreximbank plans to expand the AQAC program by establishing a series of quality assurance centers across Africa to strengthen the quality of infrastructure across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.
Media contact information:
African Export-Import Bank
vincent city
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com
SIPI-Benin SA, GDIZ
Irmin Gnidho
communications manager
gdiz-media@arisenet.com
www.GDIZ-Benin.com
Follow Afreximbank:
twitter: https://apo-opa.co/4eWIvdz
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/3Bg1m5n
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/3VoiwEP
Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3VptnhL
About Guangdong Free Trade Zone:
The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) is developed by the Society for Industrial Investment and Promotion of Benin (SIPI-BENIN SA), a joint venture between Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (IIP) and the Republic of Benin. GDIZ is a vibrant industrial zone covering 1,640 hectares (Phase 1: 400 hectares) developed by ARISE Integrated Industrial Platform (ARISE IIP), which owns several industrial zones in Africa, including Gabon (Gabon Special Economic Zone) and Togo (Adétikope Industrial Platform) ) as well as other countries on the African continent.
About ARISE IIP:
ARISE Integrated Industrial Platform (ARISE IIP) (www.ARISEIIP.com) is a pan-African world-class industrial park developer and operator committed to making Africa prosper. We identify opportunities across commercial and industrial value chains across Africa and conceive, finance, build and operate the necessary infrastructure to play a catalytic role in supporting countries’ transition to industrial economies. We are driven by the pursuit of green growth; our aim is to unlock the continent’s industrial potential while eliminating carbon emissions and climate impact. ARISE IIP currently operates in Benin (GDIZ), Togo (PIA), Gabon (GSEZ), Cote d’Ivoire (ZIC) and other regions. GSEZ has been named the best special economic zone in the global timber industry (FDI Ranking 2020).
About Afreximbank:
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a pan-African multilateral financial institution whose mission is to finance, facilitate and promote intra-African and external trade. For more than 30 years, the World Bank has used innovative tools to provide financing solutions to support the transformation of Africa’s trade structure, accelerate industrialization and intraregional trade, thereby promoting Africa’s economic expansion. As a staunch supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Afreximbank, in partnership with the African Union Commission and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, launched the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS), which was adopted by the African Union (AU) as a payment and settlement platform to support payments and settlement platforms on the African continent. Implement free trade agreements. The African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and the World Bank have established a US$10 billion adjustment fund to support countries to effectively participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area.
As of the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees were US$37.3 billion, and shareholder funds were US$6.1 billion. Between 2016 and 2023, the Bank disbursed more than $104 billion for progress on the continent through a variety of interventions. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings from GCR (International Grade) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has grown into a group entity consisting of the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary Africa Export Development Fund (FEDA) and its insurance management subsidiary AfrexInsure (together the “Group”). For more information, please visit: www.Afreximbank.com
