In late April, Tehran will host the second Iran-Africa international summit, drawing delegates from more than forty African nations. The gathering will run alongside IRAN EXPO, scheduled from the 26th to the 29th of April, creating a concentrated platform for dialogue and trade between Iran and the diverse economies of Africa.
During the event, Seyed Mohammad-Sadegh Gannadzadeh, a senior official in international business development at the Iran Trade Promotion Organization, stated that the summit will bring together representatives from more than 40 African countries and will occur from April 26 to 29. This regional congress is positioned as a cornerstone for expanding bilateral exchanges and exploring cooperative opportunities across multiple sectors.
Participants are expected to include the economic ministers of several African states, underscoring the priority placed on formalizing partnerships alongside the concurrent exhibition. Iran aims to broaden its economic influence across the continent, highlighting Africa as a region with a large and young population and rich natural resources. The goal is to foster trade, investment, and practical collaboration that benefit both sides through diversified sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, and services.
African economies host significant resource endowments, with Africa counting among the world’s most important mineral and fuel reserves. The region’s mineral base is substantial, and discussions during the summit will likely address ways to leverage these resources for sustainable development, technology transfer, and enhanced value chains. The dialogue will also touch on the potential for technology-enabled projects, financing mechanisms, and the alignment of African development plans with Iran’s experience in industrial collaboration and regional trade networks.
Africa is frequently cited for its vast resource potential, including sizable shares of global mineral reserves, oil, and natural gas along with a notable proportion of precious metals. The summit agenda will likely reflect opportunities to advance joint ventures, address barriers to trade, and support capacity building in partner countries, ensuring that collaboration yields practical outcomes and measurable progress for local communities and national economies alike.
Zimbabwe’s First Vice President welcomed the prospects for cooperation with Iran and the broader alignment of the two regions’ strategic interests. This sentiment signals a readiness to explore collaborations spanning infrastructure development, energy projects, and agricultural initiatives, with a shared focus on creating tangible benefits for citizens across participating nations.
Analysts have long noted that climate-related factors influence economic activity across Africa, including implications for agriculture, energy demand, and overall gross domestic product. The summit’s broader context therefore includes a consideration of resilience strategies and climate adaptation as central elements of sustainable growth discussions, ensuring that partnerships address both immediate trade goals and long-term environmental and socioeconomic stability.