Brussels, 23/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - Twelve industrial companies from fourteen African countries announced on Wednesday 21 July that they are launching a new organisation, the African Industrial Association (AIA), explaining in a press release that the new organisation will promote the sustainable and profitable development of industry in Africa. It will focus on twelve areas, like developing local infrastructure and promoting regional integration in order to foster growth.
The twelve companies are active in a very diverse range of industries (cotton, energy, airlines, etc) in three regional economic areas. They will make use of the AIA to air the views of African industry in big international trade bodies, which is why the AIA was set up at the same time as the Doha trade round is being negotiated at the WTO. To contact the AIA: Tel: +32 2 733 50 60, e-mail; brussels@africanindustrial.org