TEHRAN – Iran’s capital Tehran is hosting economy ministers from more than 40 African countries at the second Iran-Africa International Summit which is being held from April 26-29.

The opening ceremony of the event was attended by senior Iranian officials including President Ebrahim Raisi and Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Abbas Aliabadi, IRNA reported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Raisi voiced Iran's readiness to further boost it economic relations with African countries.

"This meeting is a symbol of the will of African countries and Iran to expand economic relations," he said.

Referring to the difference in Iran's view of Africa compared to Western countries, he said, "Cooperation with Africa was emphasized by Imam Khomeini and also emphasized by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Westerners want Africa for themselves, but we want Africa for itself."

The history of Africa shows how many Western countries have plundered Africa's resources, Raisi noted.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the president said, "Despite the threats and sanctions, the Islamic Republic of Iran has made good progress and it can be called an advanced and technological country. It is very important to know the progress and achievements of the Islamic Republic of Iran in new technologies."

Saying that Iran enjoys 10,000 knowledge-based companies and the country's exports reached two billion dollars so far, Raisi said, adding that African countries want Iran's knowledge-based products to solve their problems.

In the fields of agriculture, industry, medicine, and treatment, good products have been produced in Iran that can be exported to Africa, he said.

"The Islamic Republic is fully able to build refineries and power plants, and we can cooperate with African countries in this field," the Iranian president said.

Further in the ceremony, Iran’s Industry Minister Abbas Aliabadi stressed the significance of “win-win trade” with African nations, urging the need for establishing the secretariat of the Iran-Africa Economic Cooperation Conference in his respective ministry.

He believed that this secretariat could pave the way for enhanced trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Africa.

Iran plans to increase regular shipping and direct flights to West and East Africa with a focus on one or two countries in each region, the minister said.

He also highlighted the significance of trade in local currencies as well as barter trade as a way to remove obstacles in the way of banking transactions between Iran and this continent.

The minister added that Iran is ready to establish more joint chambers of commerce with African countries, increase the number of trade centers in the continent from 10 to 15, and dispatch more commercial attachés to increase their number to 12 in the medium run.

Over the past 40 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has never given up on its principled policy towards Africa due to political and cultural commonalities, despite the sanctions, pressure, and disruptions of the West, and has always maintained itself alongside the people and countries of Africa.

During the Iranian calendar years 1384 and 1385 (March 2005-March 2007), the relations between Iran and the African continent increased in terms of trade. Still, since 1386, the economic relations between Iran and Africa have decreased due to the economic crisis and cruel sanctions against Iran.

Surveys show that in the past years, due to the lack of restoration of economic relations with Africa, the amount of trade with the countries of this continent has remained at the level of $1.2 billion, but according to Ghanadzadeh facilitating the trade route with Africa is happening now and it is expected that the trade figure with this continent will reach $10 billion in the next three years.

In fact, good steps have been taken to use Africa's capacity, and Africa can be a suitable market for Iranian goods, Ghanadzadeh stated.

Last year, the official referred to the beginning of the 13th government's measures to develop relations with the African continent and said: "Over the past [Iranian calendar] year 1400 (ended on March 20, 2022), a series of measures have been initiated, which were resulted in the visit of about 60 African trade delegations, active presence in the exhibitions of this continent, the opening of 10 trade centers, and the dispatch of three commercial attachés.

“As the result of these measures, Iran's trade with Africa experienced a 100-percent growth from $650 million in the Iranian year 1399, and also in the first nine months of the year 1401, Iran-Africa trade was equal to the total trade of the previous year, and we also experienced a growth of about 700 percent in the export of technical and engineering services”, he added.

Also as announced by Ruhollah Latifi, the value of trade between Iran and Africa rose two percent in the past Iranian calendar year 1401 (ended on March 20).

He put Iran-Africa annual trade at 2.545 million tons worth $1.278 billion.

Iran exported 2.452 million tons of products valued at $1.183 billion to 49 African countries in the past year, showing a one percent fall, and imported 92,898 tons of goods worth $95.316 million from 23 African countries, indicating 59 percent growth, year on year, according to Latifi.

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