AFCCA Delegation Concludes a Successful Working Visit to Harare Marked by Meetings, Professional Activities, Training, and Investment Engagements
The delegation of the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations (AFCCA), led by Eng. Hassan Abdelaziz, President of AFCCA, and including Ambassador Hatem Tageldin, Secretary-General, concluded a successful working visit to Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe, held from 30 March to 2 April 2026. The visit featured an intensive programme of meetings, events, and professional activities that reflected the Federation’s growing presence on the African scene and its commitment to supporting professional integration, strengthening institutional cooperation, expanding training and capacity-building efforts, and promoting investment opportunities in the construction and infrastructure sectors across the continent.
The visit took place at the invitation of the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFOZ) and within the framework of the close cooperation between the two sides, with the participation of a number of leaders of African national associations that are members of AFCCA, in addition to the Federation’s regional and supporting partners.
The programme of the visit included the organization of a specialized training workshop for technicians and professionals in Zimbabwe’s construction sector, held from 30 March to 2 April 2026, in cooperation between the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations (AFCCA), the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFOZ), the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries (AFTAAC), and Egyptian Management and Engineering Development (EMEND). The workshop was delivered with the contribution of an expert from the company and was attended by around 50 trainees, including engineers, technicians, and sector professionals. It focused on improving professional competence, strengthening technical skills, and linking training to the practical needs of the construction market in Africa.
The training workshop also represented a practical model of Afro-Arab cooperation in the field of capacity-building and underscored the importance of investing in human resources as one of the key pillars for advancing the construction sector and keeping pace with the requirements of sustainable development on the continent.
As part of the visit, the 32nd Meeting of the Executive Bureau of the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations was held on 1 April 2026, with the participation of Executive Bureau members and representatives of a number of national associations. The meeting addressed a number of organizational, financial, and technical issues related to the work of the Federation, foremost among them follow-up on the implementation of the directions endorsed by the last General Assembly, a review of AFCCA’s activities since the previous General Assembly session held in Cairo on 21 June 2025, as well as discussion of ways to strengthen cooperation with international financial and development institutions, develop training and capacity-building programmes, follow up on financial matters and membership contributions, and prepare for the Federation’s upcoming General Assembly.
As part of the visit programme, the Executive Bureau delegation also paid a field visit on 1 April 2026 to the construction site of the new headquarters of Afreximbank in Harare, in addition to the hotel and conference centre associated with the project. This provided an opportunity to review the scale of the works under implementation and the progress achieved in this vital project, which reflects Africa’s ambition to develop institutional and financial infrastructure in support of development and investment. Ambassador Mohand Saleh Ladjouzi, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Director-General of the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries, also took part in this visit.
The visit concluded with participation in the International Investment Conference held in Harare on 2 April 2026 under the title: “Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Infrastructure Development across Africa.”
The conference witnessed active and high-level participation from the Government of Zimbabwe, led by Hon. Daniel Garwe, Minister of Local Government and Public Works of Zimbabwe, which reflected the official interest in supporting infrastructure projects, strengthening cooperation with regional and international partners, and creating a more attractive environment for investment in construction and development-related sectors. In his address during the conference, the Minister praised the Egyptian efforts and the tangible progress Egypt has achieved in the field of infrastructure, which he had observed firsthand during his visits to Egypt, noting that this experience represents an important model from which Africa can benefit in support of the continent’s development efforts.
The conference also featured the participation of H.E. Ambassador Maha Serageldin, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Zimbabwe, who reviewed in her remarks the main features of Egypt’s investment climate and the economic, legislative, and procedural reforms undertaken by the country over recent years to create a more attractive investment environment, alongside the broad progress achieved in infrastructure projects, new cities, transport networks, energy, and industrial zones, all of which have created promising opportunities for private sector participation. The Ambassador also highlighted the opportunities Egypt offers, by virtue of its strategic location and network of trade agreements, for access to wide regional and international markets, and stressed the importance of building on the common ground among African countries in order to strengthen cooperation in the fields of investment and development, in a manner that serves the goals of shared development and prosperity across the continent. In this context, the Ambassador particularly underlined the promising potential Egypt sees for enhancing cooperation with Zimbabwe through deeper trade and investment ties between the two countries, and by opening broader prospects for partnership in a number of areas of common interest, particularly those related to supporting investment, economic cooperation, and development priorities. 
The conference was also marked by active participation from the private sector, including representatives of companies and institutions working in the fields of construction, investment, and infrastructure-related services, in addition to professional associations and business circles. This gave the conference an important practical dimension and reinforced its role as a platform for dialogue among government bodies, the private sector, and professional and financial institutions.
The sessions and discussions of the conference focused on a number of key themes, foremost among them strengthening strategic partnerships for the implementation of sustainable infrastructure projects across Africa, supporting the role of the private sector in development efforts, and encouraging investment in construction and public works projects, as well as examining ways of mobilizing finance, developing institutional and regulatory frameworks supportive of investment, and expanding cooperation among governments, professional associations, financing institutions, and the private sector, in a manner that helps transform available opportunities into practical projects that serve the continent’s development priorities.
The discussions underscored that achieving a qualitative leap in Africa’s infrastructure sector requires closer integration between government policies, the implementation capacities of private sector companies, and the support provided by professional and financial institutions, thereby enhancing the prospects for sustainable and actionable partnerships on the ground.
The visit also included the closing ceremony of the training workshop and the distribution of certificates to participants, with the participation of the AFCCA delegation and high-level official attendance including Hon. Daniel Garwe, Minister of Local Government and Public Works of Zimbabwe, alongside the delegation of the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries led by Ambassador Mohand Saleh Ladjouzi, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Director-General of the Fund, and including Minister Plenipotentiary Sherine Adel Emam, Director of Operations of the Fund. This reflected the official appreciation of the efforts exerted in the field of vocational and technical training. On this occasion, the Minister expressed his appreciation for the convening of the training workshop and the practical attention it reflected toward capacity-building, praising the role played by the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations in transferring expertise and strengthening technical and professional qualification in African countries. He also welcomed the joint cooperation between AFCCA and the Arab Fund in preparing this workshop, as it embodies a practical approach that supports capacity-building in Africa. Ambassador Mohand Saleh Ladjouzi, in his remarks during the closing ceremony, also emphasized the importance of this cooperation with AFCCA, noting that this workshop represents the first joint cooperation between the two sides in the field of training and capacity-building, and reflects their shared commitment to supporting the development of African capacities. He further highlighted the continued efforts undertaken by the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries in providing technical assistance to many countries across the continent, in support of development paths and the strengthening of institutional and human capacities throughout Africa.
This successful visit reaffirmed the importance AFCCA places on strengthening its practical presence across the various regions of Africa and linking institutional action with tangible implementation programmes, whether through organizational meetings, training initiatives, investment conferences, or field visits to major projects.
The visit also reflected the distinguished level of cooperation between AFCCA and CIFOZ, as well as the important role played by supporting partners, foremost among them the Arab Fund for Technical Assistance to African Countries and Egyptian Management and Engineering Development (EMEND), in supporting capacity-building programmes and strengthening joint African action.
At the conclusion of the visit, the AFCCA delegation expressed its deep appreciation for the warm reception, generous hospitality, and excellent organization provided by CIFOZ, affirming that the positive outcomes achieved during these four days represent an important step toward greater fruitful cooperation and open the way for new initiatives that contribute to supporting the construction and infrastructure sector and advancing sustainable development across Africa.
